‘I want all the belts!’ – Dmitry Bivol would prefer unification showdown against Artur Beterbiev over rematch with Canelo Alvarez

WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol admits his preference is to chase down unification glory against Artur Beterbiev over a rematch against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

Bivol, 31, produced a dazzling display to shut out the Mexican superstar in May, becoming just the second man after Floyd Mayweather Jr to beat Canelo whose latest move up to the 175lbs division ended in a humbling unanimous decision defeat.

The Russian is now set to defend his title against mandatory challenger Gilberto Ramirez in Abu Dhabi on 5 November, while Canelo has returned to super-middleweight where he will defend his undisputed title against Gennady Golovkin in their trilogy match later this month.

But while Canelo has made it clear he still wants a shot at revenge should Bivol beat Ramirez, the undefeated champion has other plans involving fellow Russian Beterbiev, who holds the division’s IBF, WBC and WBO titles.

‘To be honest, I want to fight for the other belts. But if he [Canelo] wants to fight against me again then we can negotiate about it and if everything is okay for me for next fight, why not,’ Bivol said.

‘But I am focused on Ramirez now. It is a really good opponent for me and I have to beat him to create plans after the fight.’

The first meeting between Canelo and Bivol came with a rematch clause, which the former is yet to enforce having already agreed to a third fight with Golovkin.

With that bout happening in two weeks’ time, Bivol’s manager Vadim Kornilov suggests any rematch will now have to be re-negotiated.

‘We are not really trapped into the rematch clause anymore, this is the fight now [against Ramirez] and the rematch will be negotiated, both guys went and took out a fight,’ Kornilov said.

‘Then we have to work together and