Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol choose to do their talking inside the ring, where they are able to fully express themselves without uttering a single word.
This Saturday, they will lock horns for the undisputed light heavyweight crown, with the pair putting their unbeaten records on the line in a bid to reign supreme at 175 lbs.
Artur Beterbiev, of course, enters their clash as a bona fide knockout artist, whereas Dmitry Bivol – a highly-skilled technician – will no doubt be looking to put on a 12-round clinic.
But while they possess two contrasting styles of fighting, both combatants ultimately share an undeniable warrior spirit.
And this, after all, is something that has been showcased in a handful of their previous outings, which is why Bloody Knockout now brings you a selection of their most stunning performances.
Artur Beterbiev vs Oleksandr Gvozdyk
Beterbiev is perhaps best known for orchestrating destructive finishes against pretty much every one of his opponents. However, against Oleksandr Gvozdyk – someone who puts his feet to great use – there was a vastly different game plan that entered the equation.
Slowly but surely, though, Beterbiev was able to cut off the ring – restricting his opponent’s movement – before marching his man down, forcing a brutal tenth-round stoppage victory.
Artur Beterbiev vs Marcus Browne
Having rarely been compelled to overcome any form of adversity in his previous fights, it came as a surprise to many fans when Beterbiev sustained a horrific cut in his clash with Marcus Browne.
And yet, the pulverizing puncher proved exactly why he is one of the most formidable operators in boxing, ignoring the blood trickling down his face and, instead, remaining laser focused on the task at hand.
Before long, he was able to outwork the American slickster, decisively stopping him in the ninth round.
Artur Beterbiev vs Joe Smith Jr
This was, quite simply, a vintage performance from Beterbiev.
When Joe Smith Jr entered the first round like a bat out of hell – winging away with wild shots – Beterbiev was able to drop his man several times before emphatically ending proceedings in the second round, claiming the American’s WBO strap.
Dmitry Bivol vs Canelo Alvarez
Bivol, too, has added to his decorated legacy over the years with several scintillating performances, but his 12-round masterclass against Canelo Alvarez was perhaps his most comprehensive.
With the super middleweight king chasing greatness up at 175 lbs, Bivol was not only able to utilize his size advantage but also made great use of his more dynamic footwork, befuddling the Mexican star with his technical prowess.
Dmitry Bivol vs Gilberto Ramirez
In his WBA world title defense against Gilberto Ramirez, Bivol, being the significantly smaller fighter this time around, was forced to adopt a different game plan.
But sure enough, the 33-year-old prevailed with his elite boxing IQ once again, securing an underrated victory against a fighter who now holds a world title at cruiserweight.
Dmitry Bivol vs Malik Zinad
Of course, some may argue that there is an element of recency bias here. But still, with Bivol scoring his first stoppage victory since 2018, his performance against Malik Zinad was certainly one that set the world alight.
And while Zinad was a previously unknown entity, he proved in this contest that he is, indeed, a solid contender at light heavyweight, with Bivol being forced to overcome an early onslaught in order to secure the win.