Gradus Kraus Says His Power Will Be Too Much for Dmitry Bivol

Dmitry Bivol has fought 26 times as a professional and no one has ever put him on the canvas for a stoppage. Gradus Kraus, a 12-fight Dutch light-heavyweight with 11 knockouts to his name, reckons he'll be the man to change that. It's a bold claim from someone who has yet to share a ring with anyone near Bivol's level.

Kraus made the call-out after flattening Sean Hemphill inside the first minute, telling TalkSPORT Boxing that he considers himself the best in the world and a future champion. He said he can't wait to step up against names like Bivol, arguing his power is simply too much for the division. That's a lot of confidence for a man whose résumé and Bivol's don't yet belong in the same sentence.

The Gap in the Résumés

Here's the reality check. Bivol (25-1, 12 KO) sits at the top of the 175lbs food chain, holding the IBF and WBO belts after avenging his only career loss to Artur Beterbiev in February. His ledger includes the distinction of being the first man to drag Beterbiev the full distance back in October 2024. Kraus, by contrast, has beaten no one of note. The 11 KOs are eye-catching, but padding a record and testing your chin against elite operators are very different things.

It's worth noting that even Beterbiev — a career 20-KO finisher who stopped 20 of his first 21 opponents — couldn't dent Bivol over 12 rounds. If a puncher of that pedigree couldn't do it, the burden of proof on Kraus is enormous. The Dutchman is expected back in October, with former Bivol opponent Craig Richards reportedly among the names under consideration. That's the sort of test that would actually tell us something.

What Bivol Is Actually Doing Next

While Kraus daydreams, Bivol's real business is elsewhere. Fresh off a unanimous-decision win over Michael Eifert, the Russian has been ordered to face WBO mandatory Callum Smith (31-2, 22 KO), currently ranked #2 in the division. The alternative is more tempting for the fans: a trilogy with Beterbiev, which would settle a rivalry that's split at one apiece.

There's also the David Benavidez subplot. When Bivol vacated the WBC strap earlier this year, it landed with Benavidez, who has since moved up and now holds WBO and WBC gold at cruiserweight (32-0, 26 KO). For now, Kraus is a name making noise from the outside. If he wants to be taken seriously as the man to finally stop Bivol, October's opponent will tell us far more than his soundbites do.