It’s another stacked Saudi card courtesy of Riyadh Season this Saturday at Kingdom Arena, with the bill-topper seeing a clash for the undisputed light heavyweight title between WBC, IBF and WBO champion Artur Beterbiev, and WBA and IBO boss, Dmitry Bivol.
Beterbiev vs Bivol is live on pay-per-view in the UK on Sky Sports, TNT Sports and DAZN and available on ESPN+ in the USA on a one-fight pay-per-view, with the rest of the card on DAZN pay-per-view.
The clash was due to take place in June, but Beterbiev was forced out due to injury.
Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs) boxed on regardless, and defended his titles. stopping the overmatched Malik Zinad in six rounds.
The Russian banked some solid points wins earlier on his career against the likes of Isaac Chilemba, Jean Pascal and Joe Smith Jr, but 2022 saw his watershed moment, as he took a superb win on the scorecards against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in Las Vegas.
The 33-year-old backed that up with a wide points win against Gilberto Ramirez, and then added the IBO belt to his WBA strap by taking a landslide decision win against Lyndon Arthur, before halting the aforementioned Zinad last time out.
Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) has never heard the final bell, and first served as IBF champion in knocking out Enrico Koelling in the final round in November 2017.
The 39-year-old added the WBC belt in October 2019, stopping Oleksandr Gvozdyk in ten rounds in a thriller, and the WBO crown was secured in June 2022, as he blasted out Joe Smith Jr in two rounds.
The Russian-born Canadian was then severely tested by Anthony Yarde at the start of 2023, and was behind on two cards before finding the finishing punches to score an eighth round win.
Beterbiev was last out in January, producing a controlled effort to stop Callum Smith in seven.
Prediction: This is an elite-level fight, and it should be a cracking, technical affair. I lean towards the fresher Bivol to come on strong down the stretch to take a points win.
Wardley clashes with Clarke again
A highly-anticipated rematch takes place on the undercard, with Fabio Wardley (17-0-1, 16 KOs) defending his British heavyweight title against Frazer Clarke.
The pair served up a thriller in March at the O2 Arena, where Clarke (8-0-1, 6 KOs) was on the deck in the fifth, and deducted a point, but rallied to take a deserved draw.
Prediction: The two are well-matched, and this could well be another absorbing contest, but I lean towards Wardley learning lessons to take a close points win.
Opetaia meets Massey
Jai Opetaia is a fighter on the rise, and he defends his IBF cruiserweight title for the first time in his second spell as champion against Jack Massey.
Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) came to the fore by dethroning IBF champion Mairis Briedis in Australia in July 2022 in a pulsating points win, and he defended by stopping Jordan Thompson in four, but was then stripped when deciding to face Ellis Zorro, who he starched inside a round.
The 29-year-old southpaw regained the vacant title in a rematch with Briedis, taking a clear points win in Saudi Arabia in May.
Massey (22-2, 12 KOs) moved up to heavyweight, and gave a good account of himself in defeat against Joseph Parker in January last year.
‘One Smack’ rebounded to take the European and Commonwealth titles with a deserved points win against Isaac Chamberlain in his most recent outing in June.
Prediction: Opetaia continues to impress more and more with each fight, and although Massey is tough, I can’t see him lasting the distance, and Opetaia can take an early win.
Eubank Jr faces Szeremeta
Chris Eubank Jr sees action for the first time this year, and he goes for the vacant IBO middleweight title against Kamil Szeremeta (25-2-2, 8 KOs).
Eubank Jr (33-3, 24 KOs) was upset by Liam Smith at the start of 2023, as the Liverpudlian took a fourth round stoppage win, but the Brighton man took revenge in September of the same year, grinding smith down for a tenth round stoppage.
Szeremeta’s defeats have come in good company, retiring after seven of a world title shot against Gennady Golovkin in December 2020, and he then retired at the end of six a fight later against Jaime Munguia.
The 34-year-old is coming off a draw against Abel Mina in Poland in February.
Prediction: Eubank Jr should be too strong in this one, and can win before the halfway mark.
Nicolson battles Chapman
Skye Nicolson defends her WBC featherweight title for the second time in a historic clash with Raven Chapman.
Nicolson (11-0, 1 KO) secured the vacant title in a points victory over Sarah Mahfoud in Las Vegas in April, before defending it with victory over Dyana Vargas in Philadelphia in July.
Chapman (9-0, 2 KOs) has made four defences of her WBC International featherweight title and faces challenges for a maiden world title in the first women’s world title fight to take place in Saudi Arabia.
Prediction: I fancy Chapman to score a points win to become the new champion.
Remaining Undercard
Ben Whittaker (8-0, 5 KOs) is also on the bill, and he may have to settle for a points win in his scheduled ten rounder against Liam Cameron (23-6, 10 KOs).
Super featherweight debutant, Mohammed Alakel can get off to a winning start inside schedule in his four round meeting with Jesus Gonzalez (3-2).
