The undisputed light heavyweight championship between champions Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev was officially announced today for June 1st in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, live on ESPN.
WBA champion Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs), promoted by Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, will go up against IBF/WBC/WBO champion Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) with all four belts on the line to determine who the top dog is at 175.
This fight is over five-plus years in the making, and it’s only been made possible by the Saudis, who have the money and the motivation to get it done. Beterbiev made it clear today that he’s coming for the WBA belt that Bivol holds, and he looks determined to take it from him.
Years in the Making, Thanks to Saudi Backing
“You made the biggest fight in boxing, in my opinion, in Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev. I think it’s one of the purest match-ups in the sport,” said promoter Eddie Hearn during today’s kickoff press conference to announce the June 1st undisputed light heavyweight championship fight between WBA champion Dmitry Bivol and IBF/WBC/WBO champ Artur Beterbiev on DAZN in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“This is a real incredible moment for the sport. I didn’t see this fight happening without an intervention from somebody. Like I said, His Excellency made it happen. These are two tremendous fighters, two world champions. In every division, we should love to have an undisputed champion. It tells you who is the very best.
“Artur Beterbiev beat Anthony Yarde. He beat Callum Johnson, who we put in with him many years ago. Callum did drop him. He beat Callum Smith as well, and Dmitry Bivol beat Craig Richards and beat Lyndon Arthur as well. I just feel this man to my left [Bivol] boxing IQ is on another level, and it needs to be against one of the most dangerous men [Beterbiev] in the sport of boxing.
“Artur Beterbiev is a wrecking machine, but this man [Bivol] is a top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport,” said Hearn about his fighter, Bivol, who he promotes as part of his Matchroom stable.
Full Card:
- Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – (Undisputed light-heavyweight titles
- Deontay Wilder (Matchroom) vs Zhilei Zhang (Queensberry)
- Daniel Dubois (Queensberry) vs Filip Hrgovic (Matchroom)
- Raymond Ford (Matchroom) vs Nick Ball (Queensberry) – (WBA featherweight title)
- Craig Richards (Matchroom) vs Willy Hutchinson (Queensberry)
- Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams (Matchroom) vs Hamzah Sheeraz (Queensberry)
