Artur Beterbiev Vs. Dmitry Bivol: Date, Time And How To Watch
by Brian Mazique · ForbesHowever excited you are about Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol fighting for the undisputed light heavyweight title, it's safe to say you could be even more pumped than you are.
If you love boxing, there should be nothing more intriguing than seeing the two best fighters in their division fighting for the right to call themselves the undisputed champion of the weight class legitimately.
The fight and a solid undercard happen on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Here's how you can watch it.
- Date: Saturday, October 11
- Time: Main Event is at 6 pm ET, Undercard begins at Noon ET
- TV/Stream: ESPN+ PPV for the main event with the undercard on DAZN
Both light heavyweight champions come into Saturday's fight undefeated and with their own distinctions.
Beterbiev, 39, has three of the recognized world titles in the division, and he's also got the presence of an absolute killer in the ring. He is 20-0 with a 100% KO rate in his career. As impressive and destructive as Beterbiev has been in his career, Bivol has the most notable and signature win.
Bivol easily outboxed Canelo Alvarez in May 2022 en route to a unanimous decision win that should have been scored even wider on the judge's scorecards. Bivol's surgical jab and exquisite footwork seemingly create a compelling matchup of styles against the slugging Beterbiev.
The biggest question ahead of Saturday's main event is whether Beterbiev can find a way to penetrate Bivol's defenses, which means getting inside his opponent's jab. If he can, will he be able to drag Bivol into the kind of slugfest that gives Beterbiev his best chance to win?
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If he cannot, this fight can potentially become a masterclass for Bivol, with him picking Beterbiev apart from a distance and winning a unanimous decision going away.
Because of Beterbiev's chin, pressure, stamina, and power, maintaining that game plan is easier said than done. He has five KOs in the eighth round or later, including a finish against Anthony Yarde in January 2023 when he was down on two of three judges' scorecards.
It's an excellent fight on paper and the right bout to make in an era of boxing when we are beginning to see the fights that make the most sense.
On the DAZN undercard, there are several interesting fights to check out. While the undercard costs $19.99, it might be exciting to boxing fans in the UK.
The electric Ben Whittaker takes on Liam Cameron. Whittaker has superstar written all over him, and we're witnessing the rise of what could be one of the top stars in boxing.
WBC champion Skye Nicholson will defend her title against Raven Chapman. Chris Eubank Jr. is back in action, as is IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia and the ultra-skilled Fabio Wardley.
Here is a look at the entire fight card.
- (c) Artur Beterbiev vs. (c) Dmitry Bivol, 12 rounds, for Beterbiev's WBC, WBO and IBF light heavyweight titles and Bivol's WBA light heavyweight title
- (c) Fabio Wardley vs. Frazer Clarke, 12 rounds, British heavyweight title
- (c) Jai Opetaia vs. Jack Massey, 12 rounds, IBF cruiserweight title
- Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Kamil Szeremeta, 12 rounds, middleweights
- (c) Skye Nicolson vs. Raven Chapman, ten rounds, WBC featherweight title
- Ben Whittaker vs. Liam Cameron, ten rounds, light heavyweights
- Mohammed Alakel vs. Jesus Gonzalez, four rounds, lightweights
Stay tuned for more fight week coverage.