Getting Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol in the ring took years of talking and speculation. On Saturday, Beterbiev and Bivol will share the ring for the second time in four months.
Beterbiev got the better of Bivol on the scorecards in their October meeting, becoming undisputed light heavyweight champion in the process. The result wasn’t without controversy, however, with most media outlets scoring the fight narrowly for Bivol. It wasn’t a robbery, but things certainly didn’t feel settled the first time around and Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi power who helped construct the first fight, called for an immediate rematch.
Bivol slowed in the late rounds of the first fight, possibly a result of Beterbiev’s early focus on working the body. Those late rounds proved critical to the result, with Beterbiev taking a majority decision on scores of 115-113, 116-112 and 114-114.
Speaking with Fight Hub TV, Bivol said he knows the fight will be too close for him to fade late, or take any round off.
“I have to do it not only last rounds, I have to do it all fight”, Bivol said. “I was thinking about generally, I have to do not just one punch more or one round more. I have to be better, I have to win each round without a doubt.”
For Beterbiev, the first meeting was a new experience. Bivol was the first man who managed to take Beterbiev the distance. Prior to that fight, Beterbiev had stopped all 20 of his professional opponents.
“It’s a new experience,” Beterbiev said in the ring after the fight. “I’m happy for that. I’m a very simple boxer. Boxers in the world like me, there’s more than 1,000. Even Muhammad Ali had fights go the distance.”
Still, there’s little doubt Beterbiev wants to score a stoppage the second time around. His bruising, pressure style is built to break through opponents’ defenses and break them down.
The rematch largely comes down to whether Bivol can keep Beterbiev off of him and more effectively use movement and jabs to pile up points. If Beterbiev is able to stay inside, it could be another disappointing night for Bivol.
The card was deemed the “Fight Card of the Century” by Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh and despite some fight week adjustments due to illness, it still holds up incredibly well. Heavyweight Joseph Parker is set to face a rising contender in Martin Bakole after his original opponent, IBF champion Daniel Dubois, was forced to withdraw just two days beforehand. WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson is also back in action when he takes on Josh Padley, who is also a late replacement after Floyd Schofield Jr. was forced to withdraw with an illness. Plus, maybe the crown jewel of the undercard pits top junior middleweight talents against one another when Vergil Ortiz Jr. takes on Israil Madrimov.
“There’s not much to say. In my opinion, this is the best fight on the card,” Ortiz said at the final press conference. “I’m very excited to see all these fights in person. Very privileged to be here and I’m not going to let this opportunity go to waste. I’ll see you guys on Saturday.”
“Since my debut, I always chase at big fights,” Madrimov said. “I have another big fight, I will show a great fight on Saturday. I want to show my skills for boxing fans.”
Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the undercard with the latest odds before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event.
Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2 fight card, odds
- Artur Beterbiev (c) -130 vs. Dmitry Bivol +105, undisputed light heavyweight title
- Joseph Parker -155 vs. Martin Bakole +125, heavyweights
- Shakur Stevenson (c) -4000 vs. Josh Padley +1400, WBC lightweight title
- Hamzah Sheeraz -300 vs. Carlos Adames (c) +235, WBC middleweight title
- Vergil Ortiz Jr. -125 vs. Israil Madrimov +100, junior middleweights
- Agit Kabayel -165 vs. Zhilei Zhang +135, heavyweights
- Joshua Buatsi -205 vs. Callum Smith +165, light heavyweights
- Mohammed Alakel vs. Engel Gomez, lightweights
Where to watch Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2
- Date: Saturday, Feb. 22
- Start time: 10:30 a.m. ET | Where: Venue Riyadh — Riyadh
- Stream: DAZN PPV or PPV.com | Price: $25.99
Prediction
There are reasons to expect both Beterbiev and Bivol to be better in the rematch. Beterbiev came into the fight having had knee surgery months prior. He has admitted his knee was not at 100% in that first fight but with four months to continue healing and gaining strength, he should be able to even more effectively apply his pressure-first style.
Bivol faded late in the first fight and knows he can’t afford to give away rounds in the rematch. Looking at both fighters, Bivol is the man better equipped to adjust his approach with the data gathered in the first fight. Whether he can make those changes is the key to his chances of becoming undisputed champion.
We scored the first fight narrowly for Bivol and with his ability to make the better adjustments for the rematch, the fight shades slightly his way despite his being a slight underdog. Pick: Dmitry Bivol via SD
Who wins Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol, and which method of victory prop could bring a huge return? Join SportsLine here to see which bets you need to make for the fight, all from the accomplished veteran combat sports analyst who has consistently delivered winners.
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