Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol are set to clash this Saturday in Saudi Arabia for undisputed light-heavyweight honors. The bout pits two unbeaten champions against each other in a fight fans have wanted to see for years.
Beterbiev, who's almost 40, holds a perfect 20-0 record with all wins coming by knockout. He's the only world champion with a 100% KO ratio. Bivol, on the other hand, is coming off a career-defining win over Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in 2022.
The fight was originally scheduled for earlier in the year but got pushed back due to an injury to Beterbiev. This delay might have given Bivol an edge, as he's been free to train and stay in shape.
Former trainer turned pundit Teddy Atlas shared his thoughts on the matchup in a recent episode of his show "The Fight" on YouTube. He believes the mental aspect will be crucial.
"At the end of the day the best man will win, not the best man technically, but the man that can put up the with the mental part. I'm taking Bivol to win a decision."
Atlas points out that Beterbiev will need to close the gap and land body shots to be effective. However, he's concerned about Beterbiev's skin, which has been cut and stitched before, potentially leading to a stoppage due to cuts.
Bivol's mental toughness gets high praise from Atlas. The pundit believes Bivol will handle whatever Beterbiev throws at him, both physically and mentally.
Beterbiev brings an impressive resume to the ring, with wins over fighters like Callum Smith, Callum Johnson, Arthur Yarde, and Joe Smith Jr. Bivol's notable victories include his upset over Canelo, as well as wins against Craig Richards and Gilberto Ramirez.
The winner of this fight will likely have big opportunities ahead. Potential opponents include undisputed super-middleweight champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez or interim light-heavyweight title holder David Benavidez.
For those wanting to catch the action, live streaming options are available. It's a fight you won't want to miss as two of the best in the division put it all on the line for undisputed status.
