Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, two of boxing’s most formidable operators, will battle it out for the undisputed light heavyweight crown on October 12.
The pair have seemingly been on a collision course since their amateur days, as rumors of them sharing rounds in sparring while competing for Russia have, predictably, resurfaced.
Nevertheless, with both combatants maintaining their unbeaten records as professionals, they will be colliding for not only supremacy at 175lbs, but also a lofty pound-for-pound status among the likes of Oleksandr Usyk and Terence Crawford.
What is more, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol’s fiercely-anticipated dustup will headline a monster Riyadh Season card, featuring some of the sport’s brightest stars.
Darren Barker backs Dmitry Bivol to beat Artur Beterbiev on points
For most boxing aficionados, the Beterbiev vs Bivol clash – a 50-50 matchup between two fearsome champions – is almost too difficult to predict.
However, former middleweight world champion Darren Barker admits that he favors Bivol’s educated footwork, allowing the 33-year-old to seamlessly glide in and out of range to land his devastating blows without getting countered.
And so, the Brit suggests that this will pay dividends against a man who is six years his senior.
“I think everything’s going to be on Bivol’s terms,” Barker said on DAZN. “He’s so smart in when he engages, when he lets the flurries of shots go.
“Although some of the rounds will be close, I honestly think he’s going to win this comfortably. There’s going to be moments for Beterbiev, and he’s always going to look dangerous… at any moment, he could switch Bivol’s lights out.
“I don’t think Bivol stops Beterbiev, but I do think that it will be a unanimous decision [win].”
How will Artur Beterbiev’s injury affect his performance against Dmitry Bivol
The enthralling contest is now fast approaching but, prior to its postponement, Beterbiev and Bivol were supposed to lock horns back in June.
It was a knee injury, in fact, which forced Beterbiev to withdraw from the bout, with it now coming up to almost a year since his destructive finish against Callum Smith.
And yet, despite remaining inactive after rupturing his meniscus, the Russian is nonetheless ultra confident that he will get the job done against his countryman.
But still, with Bivol coming off a strong stoppage over Malik Zinad, it is fair to say that the momentum could well be in his favor.