This Saturday (12 October) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia the match-up of the boxing year takes place. Two undefeated Russians with excellent amateur pedigrees will meet to determine the undisputed world light-heavyweight (12st, 7lbs/175lbs) champion.
Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) will bring the WBC, IBF and WBO belts to the ring, and Dimitry Bivol (23-0, 11 KOs) the WBA one, ultimately giving us our first undisputed champion since Roy Jones Jr. in June 1999.
Before then, Michael Spinks (above) was the only previous dominant 175 pounder way back in 1983 when the division was arguably at its most ‘hot’. Unifications here are rare and undisputed even more so.
The division, one of the original eight weight classes, used to be full of elite fighters who weren’t quite big enough for the heavyweights, but had no option but to campaign at 175lbs. The rollcall of great champions includes Ezzard Charles, ‘Ageless’ Archie Moore, Bob Foster, Matthew Saad Muhammad, the younger Spinks brother and Roy Jones Jr.
This is a ‘blue riband’ boxing weight category.
So, what can we expect Saturday ?
Beterbiev, at 39, from the former Soviet province of Dagestan on the Chechnyan border in the south of the Russian land mass, is a destructive box-puncher. Having had a tough upbringing under the Soviet system, being a former world champion, winning silver in London 2012 (his second Olympics) only then losing to current heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk, the bearded Beterbiev is ‘authentically tough’.
As a professional he has stand out victories against Britain’s Callum Johnson, Smith and Anthony Yarde, stopping them all inside the distance. He can be dropped, but he’s always done the stopping in the end !
He is an intimidating character inside the ring with a confident calmness outside of it. In boxing exile, fighting out of Montreal, Canada, he is excellently trained by Canadian Marc Ramsay, one of the best in the sport.
The fight was originally pencilled in for earlier in the year, but delayed by Beterbiev sustaining a number of injuries and having his knee reconstructed in the process. This could be a telling factor.
Bivol, 33, is of mixed Russian/Korean heritage from the province of Kyrgyzstan. He too had an excellent Soviet amateur schooling, but although younger, was not as decorated as his opponent. The tall orthodox fighter does though hold an undefeated record that includes he stellar name of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, one of the modern greats.
The WBA champion has been flawless since winning the title in 2017 making 12 successful defences, and his win over ‘Canelo’ in May 2022 finally elevated him into the ‘SuperFight’ category and won him The Ring magazine 2022 Fighter of the Year.
Bivol is an excellent boxer and the more stylish of the two. He tends to box at range and probe to victory before unleashing his heavy artillery. Beterbiev, by contrast is equally talented, but likes to get amongst it by smothering his opponent with his work rate and power punches. Fighting him is likened to fighting someone in a phone booth.
The big questions as we approach first bell are; 1) How much has the injury record and ‘Father Time’ affected Beterbiev ? 2) What does he have left as he approaches the final years of his career ? 3) Will the intense pressure he will undoubtedly put on Bivol be too much for the Korean/Soviet ? 4) Can Bivol command Beterbiev’s respect early on and box his way to victory ? 5) Can the IBF champion really take a punch and Beterbiev’s power ?
It’s an intriguing matchup and as we point to has everything to be the Fight of 2024.
It will be shown in the UK on various platforms as a pay-per-view/box office option and in the USA on ESPN+. It is supported by an excellent undercard featuring Ring Magazine and world unified cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, promising British light-heavyweight Ben Whittaker, and world ranked middle/super-middleweight Chris Eubank Jr. It also features the heavyweight rematch between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke, plus female WBC champion and Aussie Skye Nicholson.
It forms part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season and is multi-promoted, including Top Rank Inc. and British-based outfits Queensberry, BOXXER and Matchroom Boxing.
With much hesitation, in the main event we predict a Beterbiev stoppage win late on. Enjoy the fireworks !
The Undisputed 