Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, two of boxing’s pound-for-pound stars, will lock horns for the undisputed light heavyweight crown on October 12.
For them, this represents a showdown of monumental proportions, with the winner securing supremacy at 175 lbs and, in turn, cementing his status as an all-time great.
Furthermore, the coveted headline slot will be occupied by Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev on a stacked Riyadh Season card, as the pair look to deliver a compelling spectacle in Saudi Arabia.
Perhaps most importantly, though, the two unbeaten Russians – who have shown virtually no signs of weakness – will finally get the opportunity to expose any chinks in each other’s armour.
Dmitry Bivol on why his victory over Canelo Alvarez catapulted him to an elite level
Bivol’s sensational 12-round masterclass over Canelo Alvarez came in 2022, when the dynamic technician utilized his educated footwork and sharp jab to befuddle his seasoned opponent.
Since then, the 33-year-old has made three defenses of his WBA trinket, coming off an emphatic sixth-round stoppage over Malik Zinad.
And yet, while he has amassed several remarkable victories throughout his illustrious career, Bivol still attests that he earned the most recognition after defeating Canelo.
“Of course, it helped my career – to be more known,” Bivol told talkSPORT. “I got some attention; I got a lot of boxing fans from that fight.
“It was one of our plans – how we could get to the elite level. We needed to get [a win over] some big name, and it was Alvarez.
“For us, it was the fight where there was some step, some border. After we passed, we could be at another level.”
Fights to look out for on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol
While the mouth-watering main event has fight-of-the-year contender written all over it, there are several interesting matchups on the undercard that could captivate boxing fans too.
- Jai Opetaia vs Jack Massey
- Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke
- Skye Nicolson vs Raven Chapman
- Chris Eubank Jr vs Kamil Szeremeta
- Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron
Jai Opetaia, who is widely regarded as the best cruiserweight on the planet, will put his IBF world title on the line against British and European champion Jack Massey.
But before that, unbeaten heavyweights Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke will collide in an eagerly-awaited rematch following their terrific domestic dustup earlier this year.
And, if that wasn’t enough, Skye Nicolson and Raven Chapman will make history by competing in the first women’s world title fight to take place in Saudi Arabia.
But of course, who could forget Chris Eubank Jr and Ben Whittaker? Both Britons, after all, will be looking to shine on the big stage with statement performances.