Bivol vs Richards Pick – Dmitry Bivol (-3500)
On Saturday, May 1st, one of the best light heavyweights in the world Dmitry Bivol returns to the ring for the first time in 18 months as he defends his WBA title against Craig Richards.
Richards is a massive underdog who’s looking to pull off the huge upset. Bivol is looking to shake off any ring rust and move on to a bigger fight in the summer if things go according to plan.
Bivol vs Richards is a co-featured bout on the Chisora vs Parker event which takes place at the AO Arena in Manchester, UK. The main card is expected to begin at 2pm ET and will stream live on DAZN in the United States and SKY Sports in the UK.
Bivol vs Richards Odds
The following odds are courtesy of Bovada:
| Fighter | Moneylines | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|
| Dmitry Bivol | -3500 | Over 7.5 (-130) |
| Craig Richards | +1200 | Under 7.5 (+110) |
Bivol enters as a massive betting favorite at online sportsbooks with odds ranging from -2500 to -9000. He’s been a large favorite in all of his fights for many years now.
Richards is a huge underdog with odds ranging from +1000 to +2000. This is the second straight fight where Richards is an underdog.
The Over/Under is set at 7.5 rounds with value for both options. There are numerous prop bets to choose from as well.
Bivol vs Richards Preview
| Fighter | Dmitry Bivol | Craig Richards |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 30 | 30 |
| Height | 6’ | 6’1” |
| Reach | 70” | 73” |
| Total Fights | 17 | 18 |
| Record | 17-0 | 16-1-1 |
| Knockouts | 11 | 9 |
Richards Confident Against Bivol
Richards last fought in December when he beat Shakan Pitters for the British light heavyweight title. It was statement win for Richards as he scored a 9th round TKO against his rival. He’s now unbeaten in his last seven fights.
That streak brought Richards to 5th in the WBA and 7th in the IBF regarding light heavyweight rankings.
He comes into this fight believing that all of the pressure will be on Bivol and confident that he can win the world title:
“There’s no pressure on me, there’s pressure on him. He’s the World Champion. He’s meant to be this big star. He’s meant to be this super champion from Russia. He’s going to want to go out there and look tremendous. He’ll want to make a statement, so there’s going to be pressure on him to go out there and perform. The pressure is on him, but I’m putting pressure on myself because I want to make sure I get that Title and prove everyone wrong.”
Richards has nine TKO/KO wins out of 16 pro victories and 18 pro fights, which is a 50% knockout rate. He will have a one inch height and two inch reach advantage over Bivol.
Will Bivol Be Rusty?
Some fans and pundits are wonder just how good will Bivol look considering he hasn’t fought since October 2019. Will he come out looking like the dominant champ that he’s been or will Bivol need a few rounds to shake off the rust?
Craig Richards feels no pressure facing Dmitry Bivol https://t.co/6M0grfNAUJ
— East Side Boxing (@eastsideboxing) April 26, 2021
Bivol defeated Lenin Castillo in his last time out. Nearly two years ago, he defeated Joe Smith Jr. as well. Both victories were via unanimous decision.
Bivol’s promoted Eddie Hearn alluded to the fact that Bivol should fight again this summer, but there are not hints as to who it will be against.
11 of Bivol’s 17 pro wins have come via TKO/KO which is a 64.7% knockout rate.
How Long Will the Fight Last?
- Over 7.5 rounds (-130)
- Under 7.5 rounds (+110)
Bivol’s last five fights have all gone over 7.5 rounds. For Richards, his last three fights have all gone Over 7.5 rounds.
Considering Bivol’s hiatus and the caliber of Richards, I expect this world title fight to go Over 7.5 rounds, which offers solid value at -130 odds.
$100 Could Win You…$176.92
Will This Fight Go the Distance?
- Yes (+240)
- No (-345)
This wager is a little bit more difficult than some of the others. Bivol has gone the distance in four straight fights while Richards has gone the distance in two of his last three bouts.
Although there’s always a chance that this bout could end via TKO/KO, I say place a small flier on this world title fight to go the full 12 rounds.
Richards has never been stopped in a fight and I can see him surviving until the final bell.
$100 Could Win You…$340.00
Can Bivol Remain Undefeated?
Richards is a quality opponent, but Bivol is a level above him. He’s ranked #2 in the division with many boxing authorities like ESPN.
I fully expect Bivol to show up ready for this fight, and do what he does best which is win. However, I do think Richards can survive the full 12 rounds. Bivol should win via unanimous decision.
Unfortunately, there’s no value with Bivol. It’s best to take one of the other wagers available at Bovada’s sportsbook for this fight. Also, keep an eye out for Bivol winning via decision.
Pick: Dmitry Bivol
Odds: -3500
$100 Could Win You…$102.86
What’s Next for Bivol?
Hopefully, Bivol can secure a title unification bout in his next fight this year. Joe Smith Jr. is calling for a rematch against Bivol. That could be an interesting possibility considering he just won the WBO light heavyweight title.
If Bivol can capture more titles then we might see a massive fight against Artur Beterbiev which will be the biggest bout within the division. Beterbiev holds the IBF and WBC light heavyweight belts.
Rick Rockwell
As a longtime freelance writer, avid sports fan, former athlete, and experienced sports bettor, Rick Rockwell has risen up the ranks at GamblingSites.org to become the self-professed “King of the Blog” in his first year with the site. …
