Dmitry has entered a boxing ring 19 times as a professional and every time he has left with a win. This afternoon, Bivol dominated Umar Salamov for 12 rounds en route to a unanimous decision. Sitting ringside, the trio of judges scored it 119-108, 118-109 and 118-110 in favor of the WBA Light Heavyweight Champion.
Moving forward, Bivol will look toward a successful run in 2022. Previously, he had been considered as a potential opponent for Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. However, Bivol’s technical and defensive style may have pushed fans and media members away from demanding that fight.
“What happened to the crushing power Dmitry Bivol showed early in his career? He’s on his way to a sixth straight decision win — most of them lopsided. It’s not a step-up in opponents — just has been a different fighter since 2018,” boxing journalist Chris Mannix tweeted.
“Mercifully, it’s over. 12-0 Bivol. Any scores to the contrary would be grotesque. Salamov big heart to take that many shots. Bivol as frustrating a fighter as I have watched in a long time because he is so good but won’t get aggressive at all even when his opponent is helpless,” Dan Rafael added.
Instead of looking toward a potential fight against Alvarez, Bivol may look to fight the man who is expected to be his mandatory challenger, Gilberto Ramirez. Ramirez currently boasts a record of 42-0 with 28 knockouts. He recently scored knockout win against Sullivan Barrera.
AND STILL ?
Dmitry Bivol retains his title with a dominant points win over Umar Salamov #BivolSalamov pic.twitter.com/C4MoN68wGd
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 11, 2021
