Beterbiev vs Bivol 2: The rematch

A preview of "one of the most stacked cards in Boxing history".
Published on Feb 22, 2025, 8:35:46 AM
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Tonight, the boxing world turns its attention to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for “The Last Crescendo,” a historic event featuring no less than seven title fights!

The main event is the highly anticipated rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, which will once again determine who can call himself the undisputed champion of the light-heavyweight division (-175 lbs).

The event will take place at the Kingdom Arena, which has become the regular venue for the Riyadh Season super-cards in recent years.

With a capacity of 27,000 and being home to Al-Hilal soccer club, it is the perfect venue for a fightcard of this size.

Beterbiev vs. Bivol 1

Beterbiev and Bivol first faced each other last October, a fight that ended in a Majority Decision in Beterbiev's favor. With this victory, he became the first boxer in two decades (the first since Roy Jones Jr.) to unify all four major belts (WBC, WBO, IBF and WBA, plus The Ring title) in the light-heavyweight division and could call himself undisputed champion.

The fight was at the cutting edge, however, with one judge scoring it 114-114, while the other two narrowly gave Beterbiev the victory (115-113, 116-112).

What was particularly notable was that this was the first time in his career that Beterbiev failed to stop his opponent early, underscoring Bivol's exceptional defense and fight IQ.

After the fight, Beterbiev indicated he was not entirely satisfied with his performance and felt he should have fought harder and more dominantly.

Bivol, who lost his WBA title, let it be known that he would like a rematch, with the goal of still fulfilling his dream: to become undisputed light-heavyweight champion.

He now has that chance. Both fighters have had four months to analyze the first fight and hone their strategies. With once again all titles at stake, they will step into the ring Saturday to once again decide who is the best.

Both fighters have indicated they will take more risks and fight more aggressively in the rematch, so fans can no doubt get ready for spectacle.

Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KO) is known for his impressive KO power, while Bivol (23-1, 11 KO) is more of a technical boxer, methodically trying to break down his opponents over 12 rounds.

This rematch has all the ingredients to become a classic!

One of the most stacked cards in Boxing history

From the first bout to the last, The Last Crescendo is, on paper, one of the best boxing events of the last decade.

In addition to Beterbiev vs Bivol 2, the card features six other title fights:

- Joseph Parker vs. Martin Bakole - WBO Interim Heavyweight Title

- Shakur Stevenson vs. Josh Padley - WBC Lightweight Title

- Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz - WBC Middleweight Title

- Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs Israil Madrimov - WBC Interim Super Welterweight Title

- Zhilei Zhang vs. Agit Kabayel - Vacant WBC Interim Heavyweight Title

- Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith - WBO Interim Light Heavyweight Title

With so many great matchups and world titles at stake, this event is an absolute must-watch for any martial arts fan. So don't miss this historic night! 'The Fight Card of the Century' can be followed live tonight on DAZN Pay-Per-View starting at 5 p.m. Dutch time. The main event between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol is expected to kick off around 00:00 midnight.

This article was written by Maurits School from The Main Event, also be sure to check out their Instagram page for more fight news.

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