For the first time in over two decades, boxing will have an undisputed light heavyweight champion when Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol square off in one of boxing’s most intriguing matchups.
Not since the era of Roy Jones Jr.’s dominance has boxing’s 175-pound division seen a single, unified champion holding all the belts. But Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol will put their respective titles on the line on October 12 in Saudi Arabia to crown a new undisputed champion.
Bivol, the WBA’s champion at 175 pounds, is a slight favorite in this fight, boasting not only the most impressive win between the two of them - a one-sided decision win against Canelo Alvarez in 2022 - but also the youth advantage, being six years younger than Beterbiev, who turns 40 in roughly three months.
The fight pits two top-10 pound-for-pounders with differing fighting styles. Bivol is a savvy, technical boxer who possesses an exceptional jab that can neutralize even the sport’s top fighters. His excellent movement leaves opponents unable to get into rhythm and punch effectively, giving Bivol the upper hand in terms of controlling the action in the ring. Although Bivol may not possess one-hit KO power like Beterbiev, he does more than makeup for it with a combination of timely movement to make opponents miss shots. Bivol’s footwork will be key for him to ensure he doesn’t fall prey to Beterbiev’s power up close, something many of Beterbiev’s opponents struggled to defend en route to their eventual loss.
Beterbiev, on the other hand, possesses one of the most impressive feats in boxing today - a 100% KO rate in all of his fights. Having never seen the end of the 12th round at any point in his pro career, Beterbiev’s power is capable of ending a fight at any point, adding a level of unpredictability of when the fight could end. However, one thing to watch out for in Beterbiev will be his mobility after suffering a ruptured meniscus back in May, forcing this fight to be rescheduled from its original date in June.
Despite the injuries and wear and tear his body has gone through over the years, Beterbiev’s power never left him, keeping him in play at any point in the fight no matter how much punishment he suffered. He has shown tremendous resiliency in fights, overcoming bad cuts to still be his usual aggressive self and create heavy pressure which leads opponents to his devastating right hand.
For those in the United States and in Canada, the fight will stream on ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET). For those outside of those two countries, viewers can watch the fight on DAZN as well as the full card.
The undercard also features several notable names, including cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia defending his title, and a rematch between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles after their first encounter - a violent and brutal showdown in March - ended in a draw.
