A Bangkok ready guide to Dimitri Bivol and the Soviet boxing style

 The Soviet Boxing style is an almost mythical system, a relic of the USSR’s amateur boxers. Athletes from the Soviet union were able to dominate with the bouncy, light footed style, effectively scoring points that won world championships with rhythmic volume punching. Despite its success, it has been mostly confined to the amateur circuit, with many claiming that the style lacks the power and the efficiency for a twelve round professional fight. This consensus was questioned when Dimitri Bivol rose to prominence, catching the eye of the casual fanbase when he defeated boxing star Canelo Alvarez. Bivol has used the soviet style, utilising its rhythm and the pendulum step, in order to transition such an elegant style into professional boxing.

Bivol’s style is based around the pendulum step, shifting weight from his front leg to his back leg. This often takes the form of a bouncing/hopping motion but can also be carried out from a static position, with Bivol shifting his weight from his front leg to his back leg in a rhythmic pattern. These hopping motions work into his game, allowing him to dictate distance and move quickly. If Bivol wants to advance or retreat he can do so at speed while maintaining his stance, meaning he can start combination punching as he lands on the bounce. When his opponent gets aggressive and looks to throw punches, Bivol can hop backwards, leaving the opponent extended. If the opponent is left over extended from the change in distance Bivol can punish him with a right hand. A lot of the time his opponent will begin to move backwards after missing, anticipating a return. Bivol can then bounce in to correct the distance, but instead of running in out of position he will move forward set in his stance, able to unload a combination immediately after he corrects the distance with his opponent. Bivol’s most offensive use of the pendulum step is against the ropes, where he will feint the hopping entry to back his opponent up to the ring boundary. Once he has his opponent pinned down he is able to start unloading combinations onto them. However, if they decide to swing back, Bivol is able to bounce back out of range and then either disengage or move right back into range. The footwork of Soviet style boxing gives Bivol a massive advantage over his opponents, granting him a manoeuvrability that wins him fights.

Bivol’s jab is a major part of his game, pairing brilliantly with his footwork. Bivol will pump out the jab rhythmically with his bouncing stance, flicking it out as he shifts forwards and backwards in his own stance. The shifting of weight allows Bivol to create just enough power on his tapping jab for his opponent to have to react to it, normally raising their guard keeping them on the back foot or lashing out wildly, at which point Bivol can hop back and punish them. Bivol’s constant use of jabs gives him a major advantage both offensively and defensively. From an offensive standpoint he is able to mark his opponent with the jab, feeling the distance and knowing when to throw the right hand and open into combination, making it extremely difficult to bait him into overextending his punches. From a defensive standpoint Bivol having his hand constantly in the face of his opponent allows him to maintain distance if they try and aggressively move forward into him, allowing him to frame off the opponent as they come in and keep that preferred distance. Bivol can also choose to put more power into his jab, utilising the pendulum step to put more of his body weight into the jab during his hopping motion. He can change the jab from a tool to maintain distance into a long range lancing tool, which he often uses to punish opponents on the retreat, closing the distance and sticking them with the jab as they move back. Bivol’s love of the jab extends into his combination punching. While many view the jab as simply a way to move into combination punching, Bivol will often finish combinations with the jab. This often catches opponents as they try and move out of range, but more importantly it is a quick and low risk way of “closing the door”, bringing Bivol back into his stance and his shoulder up to his chin ready to block shots in the scenario that his opponent tries to counter punch. Bivol’s use of the Soviet style footwork has allowed him to utilise the jab in a variety of ways, turning a weapon that is often used simply as a low risk point scorer into a multi use tool that builds into his game.

Bivol’s use of looping punches round out his already dangerous game. While many boxers will stress the importance of keeping hooks tight, using what Jack Dempsey describes as “pure” punching, Bivol is willing to let his punches loop a bit more in order to make it more effective for the situation. Bivol will often throw his hooks very wide, which makes him easier to counter and carries less power, but more importantly it covers a lot more distance. While he’s chasing down an opponent Bivol will be looking to hop in with his jab. Any good opponent when being advanced upon on a straight line will try to pivot off the centreline, creating an angle at which the opponent has to match in order to throw the same shots. Bivol will punish the opponent for trying to circle out of his offence by throwing long, looping hooks. These hooks cover a lot of distance and therefore mean that an opponent cannot simply just circle out. If an opponent tries to bob out of the exchange, trying to duck down out of punching range, Bivol can change the angle of his shot, using the lead uppercut to hammer a bent over opponent. What is even more interesting about Bivol’s hooks is that he will throw them while hopping back. This not only closes the door like his jab, but also punishes the opponent for chasing after him as he moves back. An orthodox opponent throwing a right hand will leave an opening for the left hook, something that this retreating hook can take advantage of. This coupled with his combinations when his opponent is pinned against the ropes gives Bivol a great point scoring puns as he bounces back out of range. Bivol’s use of hooks pair very well with his game, giving him another dimension to his offence and an effective tool off the back foot.

Bivol has managed to translate a style that was seen as only fit for amateur boxing, beautifully showing the capabilities of the style in the boxing ring. While he may have to change up his tactics sometimes in the later rounds due to the high energy output of his style, he is a great example of innovation in combat sports, something that deserves appreciation. Hopefully Bivol can inspire others to try out styles that may seem unorthodox and hard to implement, regardless of the combat sport, allowing for growth across all martial arts.