Dmitry Bivol on growing up sharing a two-bedroom flat with nine people, starting boxing in ballet shoes and fighting in the street as he prepares to take on Artur Beterbiev for undisputed

Widely regarded as one of the most skilled light heavyweight champions in boxing today, Dmitry Bivol is celebrated for his precision, power and unwavering composure in the ring.

But the roots of his success go back to much more humble beginnings, far removed from the glitz of title fights and global recognition. His journey into boxing began under the most unlikely of circumstances: he wore ballet-like shoes, struggled to afford tournaments, and grew up in a cramped two-bedroom apartment with nine other family members.

Despite these challenges, Bivol’s upbringing – based on family values ​​and discipline – has shaped him into the fighter he is today, with an undefeated record of 23-0, including 12 wins via KO, 3 of which came in world title fights. .

Now that he faces Artur Beterbiev on Saturday with the chance to become the first undisputed light heavyweight champion of the four-belt era, Bivol stands on the precipice of history. But before we look at what lies ahead, it’s essential to understand the story that brought him to this moment.

Bivol was born on December 18, 1990 in Tokmok, a small town in the Chuy region of Kyrgyzstan, and grew up in a post-Soviet world of economic hardship. His father, of Moldovan descent, worked as a shuttle bus driver to support the family, while his Korean-born mother worked locally and helped maintain the household.

In a country struggling with financial instability, Bivol lived in a small apartment with nine people and relied on his parents to scrape together enough money for his first tournaments.

Reflecting on those humble beginnings, Bivol said, “I enjoyed it, to be honest. My parents worked hard to buy me the things I needed, but at first they didn’t because they weren’t sure if I really liked boxing or not.

‘Plus, it’s difficult to buy things like boxing shoes because there weren’t enough of them in the country. A lot of people had to train in sneakers or other things.

Looking back, that’s good because it gave me motivation. I thought to myself, I want to have better shorts. I want better gloves. I want to have better shoes. It made me work harder to get it. It wasn’t that I wanted something and my parents bought it for me, I had to work hard to get it for myself.

‘But I also knew I had to work hard to thank my parents for everything they did for me. I saw how difficult it was for my father. He worked from six in the morning to midnight. My mother also worked and tried to take care of us at the time.

“Taught me a lot about how hard to work. You can just sit there and relax while your parents work so hard to give you opportunities. You have to make sure you make it all worthwhile.”

While his parents worked tirelessly to earn a living, it was Bivol’s elder brother who played a crucial role in shaping his future. He noticed young Dmitry’s growing love for street fighting, a common occurrence in the rough neighborhoods of post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan.

Street fights, often seen as a way to settle disputes or pass the time, became a regular part of Bivol’s childhood. “We fought for fun sometimes,” he admitted. But there was one unspoken rule in these skirmishes: once blood was drawn, the fight was over. Still, the violence could quickly escalate, and Bivol’s brother knew it could lead to more dangerous consequences.

Looking for a way to channel Dmitry’s aggression, his brother introduced him to boxing, hoping that the structured environment would teach him discipline while allowing him to express his love of fighting.

“I fought a lot in the streets,” Bivol said. ‘We did it for fun. Sometimes when we were hanging out we would say, okay, let’s see who is the better fighter. We also did it to solve any problems. But there were always two rules. We fought until someone started bleeding or a tear fell.

“But yeah, I’ve noticed sometimes that if you don’t behave well, you can get into more street fights than you probably should. That’s why it’s a good thing that my brother took me to the boxing gym. But in the beginning I did street fights while boxing.’

However, Bivol’s entry into boxing was not smooth. His family’s situation put basic equipment like gloves and good shoes out of reach. Instead, Bivol began his training in ballet-style shoes – hardly ideal for a future champion.

Yet this unlikely start has not deterred him. These shoes, while unconventional, became part of his journey and may even have contributed to his exceptional footwork, which has become one of his signature strengths in the ring.

Known for his impeccable movement and impeccable balance, Bivol’s ability to control the distance between himself and his opponents is now a cornerstone of his success.

‘They weren’t exactly ballet shoes, but they looked similar. They looked like socks. So I had to train in it for a while. But then I got my first pair of boxing shoes from the local prison.

‘They made boxing shoes for me from women’s leather shoes. That’s what they did. They made children’s boxing shoes while in prison. And they were the first pair I had.”

Despite the early challenges, Bivol’s determination never wavered. “It wasn’t about the shoes for me,” Bivol noted. “I just wanted to fight, to learn.”

As he progressed, Bivol began to attract attention for his talent and discipline, quickly rising through the ranks. But it was his style that caught the attention of most boxing fans.

‘I owe my style to my father. From the very beginning, during training and during my fights, my father would get so angry whenever I got punched in the face. Even if I won the fight, he would be so angry.

‘I remember winning a match. It was 2008 and I was maybe 17 years old at the time. I won against a man who was also from Kyrgyzstan. It was such a tough competition and not only did I win, but I also got the award for being the best fighter in the tournament.

‘I was so happy with it and I was so proud of myself. I came home and showed it to my dad and told him about it. He was so happy that I got it too. But then he watched all my fights back and he wasn’t happy at all.

“He said, how can they give you that award? You shouldn’t have gotten that trophy because you got hit. He then showed me: you got this punch and then that punch and then this punch.

“I said to my dad, but I hit him more and he said, I know, but it doesn’t look good. It’s no good boxing if you get punched in the face. He also didn’t like me being hit as a child.

“I could throw ten punches and get hit once, but he wouldn’t be happy. He always said, if you keep punching, I’ll take you out of boxing. I don’t need a son who hits my head a lot. So that led to my style.’

Today, Bivol is one of the elite light heavyweights in the world, with victories over top-level opponents, including a stunning victory over boxing superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in 2022. That fight propelled him to global prominence and cemented his status. as one of the most skilled and intelligent fighters in the sport.

Bivol’s measured, almost clinical approach in the ring – a style often described as ‘punch perfect’ – is in stark contrast to the boy who once fought on the streets of Kyrgyzstan.

Boxing gave Bivol more than just a career; it gave him structure, purpose and a way out of hardship. As he prepares for the fight of his life against Beterbiev, Bivol looks to add a new chapter to his remarkable story by becoming the first undisputed light heavyweight champion of the four-belt era.

This Saturday could be the culmination of a journey that began with ballet shoes and street fights – a journey that has turned a boy from Kyrgyzstan into a champion on the brink of history.