Their first encounter was a close competitive battle that required a rematch, and on Saturday February 22nd, undisputed light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) will defend his crown against Dmitry Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh Saudi Arabia, live on DAZN PPV.
For a significant amount of time, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol were two world champions who were on a collision course. Some boxing fans thought the matchup would never happen, but fortunately the championship bout was agreed upon, and the fans were treated to a highly competitive event.
Back in May 2022 the then WBA light-heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol gained notoriety when he stepped inside of the ring to defend his title against pound-for-pound star Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. The undisputed super-middleweight champion, Canelo Alvarez, was stepping up and attempting to become a two-time light-heavyweight champion.
However, the night belonged to Dmitry Bivol as his jab and his footwork assisted him in regards to dictating the range and pace of the fight. His in-and-out style was very effective, as he landed sharp combinations on multiple occasions. Bivol put on a boxing masterclass, as he defeated Canelo via unanimous decision.
Bivol would go on to score another big victory as he defeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. Dmitry Bivol proceeded to successfully defend his title two more times, and then he was set to make his dream become a reality.
Back in November 2017, fast-rising contender Artur Beterbiev took advantage of a big opportunity when he knocked out Enrico Kolling in the 12th round and won the vacant IBF light-heavyweight world title. Beterbiev would go on to become a unified champion when he stopped the WBC belt holder Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
Three years later, in June 2022, Beterbiev destroyed Joe Smith as he stopped him in the second round and won the WBO strap. Beterbiev would go on to collect knockout victories against Anthony Yarde and Callum Smith. Next on Artur Beterbiev’s agenda was to step inside the ring to achieve a career goal.
In October 2024 the undefeated WBO, WBC, IBF light-heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev was set to face the undefeated WBA champion Dmitry Bivol. In the opening round Bivol was in control as he used movement, and routinely landed his jab.
In the final seconds of the opening round, Artur Beterbiev was able to connect with a solid 2-3 combination. As the match unfolded, it developed into the classic knockout artist vs ring technician type of fight.
Beterbiev was the aggressor as he pressed forward looking to land his power shots while Bivol boxed well off the back foot. In the 7th round Bivol stood his ground and landed a solid combination, but Beterbiev responded by landing multiple shots, and controlling the remainder of the round.
The rest of the bout consisted of Beterbiev fighting off the front foot while Bivol was landing counter shots off the back foot. At the conclusion of the 12-round fight for undisputed, Artur Beterbiev won the winner-take-all bout via majority decision.
With the victory, Artur Beterbiev achieved his dream of becoming an undisputed world champion. However, the rematch is upon us, and Bivol will have a second opportunity as it relates to accomplishing his dream of becoming undisputed.
The first fight was a very close fight in which the judges may have scored it for Beterbiev due to his constant pressure and success with landing his power shots. Bivol boxed effectively, but the lack of aggression on his part seemed to have costed him on the judges scorecards.
During a recent interview with Sky Sports, Dmitry Bivol spoke about the changes he must make in order to be successful in his rematch against Artur Beterbiev. Bivol stated he has to be faster, stronger, and in better condition.
Due to the fact that Beterbiev swayed the judges with his aggression in the first fight, will Bivol be tempted to take the risk of asserting himself and operating more inside of the pocket for small periods of time during the rematch?
The Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2 rematch will be an exciting, action packed bout due to the fact that both fighters are familiar with each other. On Saturday February 22nd live on DAZN PPV, Beterbiev vs Bivol 2 is surely categorized as must see TV, but the question is, will the result of the rematch be a repeat or revenge?
Last Updated on 02/21/2025