The Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hosts a potential fight for the ages on 12 October 2024. Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol will clash for the undisputed light heavyweight crown. The IBF, IBO, WBC, and WBO titles are on the line in a winner-takes-all battle for 175-lb supremacy.
Boxing fans and pundits are split on the outcome of this bout, as two titans of the sport collide in a long overdue matchup.
Will Beterbiev’s power and accuracy overwhelm his foe? Or can Bivol box and dance his way to all four belts?
First, let’s discover more about both fighters.
Artur Beterbiev Profile
Born in Khasavyurt, Russia, and now based in Montreal, Canada. Beterbiev is the reigning IBF, WBC, and WBO world champion.
Sporting an unblemished 20-0 record, all by KO or TKO. Since winning the IBF title in 2017 against Enrico Koelling, he has fought in 9 world title fights, including wins over former champions Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Joe Smith, and Marcus Browne.
Stereotyped as a brawler in some quarters, he is equally adept at fighting off the back foot, circling his opponent and waiting to pounce on errors.
Dmitry Bivol Profile
Across the ring, Dmitry Bivol hails from Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan. He sports a 100% professional record with 23 wins and 12 KOs coming into this fight.
After debuting in November 2014, he swiftly rose the ranks and secured the interim WBA belt in May 2016 with a victory over Felix Valera. And was elevated to full WBA champion in 2017. He has fought in 15 world title contests to date.
Bivol is a classical Russian boxer with quick feet, a rapid left jab, and smart combinations. He rarely takes a clean shot and maintains a watertight defence.
His most famous win is a 12-round masterclass versus pound-for-pound great Canelo Alvarez.
Tale of The Tape
How do these men match up? Check out their key statistics below:
Artur Beterbiev
Age: 39
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5”11
Reach: 73”
Record: 20 wins and 0 losses (20 KOs)
Rounds boxed: 98
Dmitry Bivol
Age: 33
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 6”0
Reach: 72”
Record: 23 wins and 0 losses (12 KOs)
Rounds boxed: 190
Beterbiev vs Bivol: Strengths & Weaknesses
Where could the boxer’s styles help or hinder them?
Beterbiev Lowdown
A well-schooled amateur, Beterbiev carries thudding power in both hands. He never loads up or telegraphs his blows and has deceptive hand speed. Recent fights have showcased his typical pressure style. Plus, it is a canny backfoot game to analyse an opponent’s habits.
As a pressure fighter, Beterbiev is vulnerable to counterpunches. Earlier in his career, he was dropped by Callum Johnson, yet he roared back to score a knockout.
Beterbieb looks slower than Bivol. And his opponent will have noted this difference in hand and foot speed as a potential path to victory.
Bivol Breakdown
A masterful boxer, Bivol has exceptional foot speed and forward and backwards movement. Always balanced, he throws straight shots off a spearing, varied left jab, mixing in left hooks and rapid straight rights.
Bivol often coasts to points victories, rarely pushing for a stoppage. This lack of a ruthless streak may come back to haunt him one day. However, Bivol’s discipline is such that he prefers to box, secure a win, and take fewer risks.
Bivol has rarely taken a clean punch. So, there are still questions about his punch resistance. Joe Smith wobbled him. Hit after the bell at the end of the tenth round, Bivol looked shaky. Although he likely switched off and wasn’t expecting the blow. That moment aside, we haven’t seen him hurt in a professional ring.
Fight Prediction
They have one opponent in common. Bivol outpointed Joe Smith Jr, whereas Beterbiev smashed his foe inside two rounds. But those results will have little bearing on the outcome here.
This is a classic boxer vs puncher-style clash. It’s as close to 50-50 as a major title fight gets. And the bookmakers agree. They rate Bivol a marginal 1.80 favourite to win, while Beterbiev is a slight outsider at 2.20 in the betting.
While it’s easy to envision Bivol using his smarts to outwit Beterbiev over 12 rounds, we expect the slight underdog Beterbiev to catch Bivol at some stage. If (or when) that happens holds the ultimate key to the outcome of this fight. If Bivol can survive a crisis, he has all the attributes to pull off a career-defining triumph. Otherwise, Beterbiev will likely pounce for a ruthless stoppage in the mid to late rounds.
