The time is near. Artur Beterbiev defends his undisputed light heavyweight throne against Dmitry Bivol in one of the highest-profile rematches in modern boxing history.
Fight week has been marred by several cancellations, including Daniel Dubois’s withdrawal from his fight with Joseph Parker and Floyd Schofield’s withdrawal from his fight with Shakur Stevenson. Fortunately, they have found replacements thanks to Saudi Arabia’s bottomless pockets. Riyadh Season appears to be taking notes from the UFC’s practice of last-minute replacements.
Heavyweight tank Martin Bakole will replace Dubois, and Stevenson will now fight undefeated British prospect Josh Padley.
Thankfully, the two marquee fights are still engaging, and some of the Bloody Knockout staff were keen to give their insight and predictions into the matchups.
Beterbiev vs. Bivol prediction
Donal Long: I choose Dmitry Bivol to defeat Artur Beterbiev on points. (Pick: Bivol via DECISION)
Mat Riddle: Looking at their first fight, I think Artur Beterbiev has fewer adjustments to make to find success against Dmitry Bivol. I thought Bivol’s activity was winning the early rounds, but Beterbiev clearly showed durability, cardio, and technical skill.
Don’t be surprised if Beterbiev makes proper adjustments and finds a late TKO over Bivol. That said, I think Bivol is too technically sound to be finished. The only case in which I think Bivol gets finished is if he pushes the pace looking to overwhelm Beterbiev and gets clipped, which is a very real possibility. (Pick: Beterbiev via DECISION/KO9)
Verdict: 1-1 Tied
Bakole vs. Parker prediction
Donal: I pick Joseph Parker to knock out late-notice fighter Martin Bakole.
Mat: I think Martin Bakole is a potent threat for any heavyweight, but Parker’s speed and full camp is a huge advantage. While I don’t doubt Bakole has been training extensively in the background, there’s no way he’s prepared properly for Parker on two days’ notice.
While a Bakole KO isn’t out of the question, I think the sensible pick is for Parker to either pick up a decision or pull off a late-round knockout. Bakole was knocked out by Michael Hunter a while back, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
Verdict: 2-0 Parker