Michael Eifert has opened up on the 12 punches he landed against Dmitry Bivol, admitting the first-round knockdown forced him into a cautious approach that shaped the remainder of the fight.
The German challenger made unwanted CompuBox history when he landed just 12 punches across twelve rounds during his world title challenge in Russia.
The statistic quickly became the talking point of the fight and brought criticism from some quarters.
However, it is easy to judge the numbers afterward. It is much harder to step into the ring unbeaten against one of the best fighters in the world genuinely believing you can pull off the upset.
Speaking exclusively to World Boxing News, Eifert reflected on the experience and what he learned from sharing the ring with Dmitry Bivol.
Daring to Be Great
Eifert has watched the fight back several times since returning home and says doing so only increased his appreciation for the challenge he accepted.
“Yes, I have watched it back a couple of times,” Eifert told WBN.
“It’s even more clear to me now how difficult it is to deal with someone like Bivol. He controls the distance extremely well, has a fantastic jab, gives you very few opportunities and is an extraordinarily precise counter puncher.
“It was a valuable learning experience for me. Despite the defeat I’m proud of my effort and performance.”
Plenty of fighters talk about daring to be great. Eifert actually did it.
The German entered the fight unbeaten and genuinely believed he could pull off one of the biggest upsets in boxing. The criticism only arrived afterward, once the CompuBox numbers became public.
What those numbers don’t show is the reality of sharing a ring with Dmitry Bivol.
The statistics were ugly, but Eifert clearly believes the experience will prove invaluable.
The Knockdown Changed Everything
While Bivol’s skillset was always going to present problems, Eifert admits the opening-round knockdown had a major influence on how the fight developed.
CompuBox credited Eifert with landing just 12 punches in 12 rounds, the lowest total ever recorded in a twelve-round fight.
“Obviously they are not the kind of statistic I like to see,” joked Eifert.
“After the knockdown I had to be very cautious and defensive. At the same time Bivol had a fantastic defense and was really hard to hit.
“I gave my best and while the numbers are what they are the feedback I’ve received has been very positive.
“Many people that were in the arena, as well as those watching on TV, told me they found it to be an entertaining fight.”
Before facing Bivol, Eifert had never experienced adversity of that kind as a professional. The opening-round knockdown changed the complexion of the fight and forced him into survival mode far earlier than he would have wanted.
The confidence that carried him into the contest never disappeared, but the reality of facing one of the best fighters in the sport arrived in the very first round.
Rather than taking risks that could have ended the night early, Eifert admitted he became cautious and defensive against a champion who offered very little in return.
The Next Chapter
Despite the defeat, Eifert has no intention of allowing the Bivol fight to define his career.
“First of all, I want to thank my team and everyone who supported me before and after the fight,” he added.
“I lost to a great champion but I learned a lot. I believe this fight was an important chapter in my career.
“I’m still improving and I’m confident that many major fights are ahead of me.”
Eifert dared to be great against one of the best fighters in the sport and discovered exactly how difficult that task can be.
The statistics will follow him for a long time.
The lessons might prove far more important.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
