Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol are gearing up for a huge light-heavyweight clash in Saudi Arabia. The fight will unify all the belts in the division and pit two undefeated champions against each other.
Turki Alalshikh has put the fight together as part of Riyadh Season. It's a match-up that's got fans and experts split down the middle.
Former Lightweight World Champion Anthony Crolla thinks Beterbiev will come out on top. He expects the Russian-Canadian to get a late stoppage, probably in rounds 9 or 10.
"Beterbiev carries unbelievable power. I'm not sure Bivol has the firepower to keep him off. We saw how Beterbiev dealt with a hard hitter like Callum Smith. He's more than just a power puncher."
Bivol shouldn't be counted out, though. He outpointed Canelo and has a style that could give Beterbiev problems. He's a disciplined boxer who'll need to be at his best to keep the knockout artist at bay.
The undercard is stacked with talent. Ben Whittaker faces Liam Cameron in what should be a tough night for the latter. Whittaker's a showboater who's made a name for himself on TikTok, but he needs to start taking opponents out.
Cameron's had a tough road to this fight. He overcame a harsh ban for recreational drug use and tragically lost his stepdaughter in an accident.
Skye Nicolson and Raven Chapman will put on a top female fight with contrasting styles. Nicolson's slick and hard to hit, while Chapman brings pressure and a good engine. Crolla sees Nicolson building an early lead but facing pressure late on.
"I think Nicolson will take it on a close points decision. It's the biggest test of both their careers."
Chris Eubank Jr takes on Kamil Szeremeta. Crolla expects Eubank to get the stoppage around the midway point, but there's less buzz about this fight compared to others on the card.
Heavyweights Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley run it back after their draw in a barnstormer last time. Both guys are confident, and we could see improvements from the first fight. This one's got potential to be fight of the night.
In the cruiserweight division, rising star Jai Opetaia faces Jack Massey. Opetaia's been described as 'very violent' in the ring. Massey's got a great attitude and isn't easily fazed – he gave a good account of himself against Joe Parker up at heavyweight.
"I see Opetaia winning this one in a shootout, probably around round six,"Crolla predicts.
It's a phenomenal card from start to finish. Saudi Arabia continues to attract big fights, and this one's sure to deliver fireworks.
Anthony Crolla shared these insights as part of his role as a brand ambassador for Freebets.com.
