ARTUR BETERBIEV and Dmitry Bivol will headline what is billed one of the BEST cards in boxing history.
The pair will reignite their fight from October in a match being titled ‘The Last Crescendo.’
Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol fought in an epic contest last October[/caption]
Late replacement Martin Bakole comes in for Daniel Dubois following his withdrawal due to illness[/caption]
Joseph Parker was meant to take on Daniel Dubois[/caption]
Last time the two met, Beterbiev earned a controversial decision win with scorecards of 115-113, 116-112 and 114-114.
Following the bout, promoter Eddie Hearn called the fight between Beterbiev and Bivol “one of the best fights in the sport”.
Nonetheless, Hearn, Bivol’s promoter, was in disagreement with the score citing there was “only one winner” and it was his guy.
Beterbiev and Bivol may be the card’s closing act on the night, but they may not even have the most eyes on them in Saudi Arabia.
Who is fighting on mammoth boxing bill?
Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker were set to go head-to-head for the Brit’s IBF heavyweight title.
However, Dubois withdrew at the the eleventh hour due to illness.
His replacement, Martin Bakole, was called up on two days’ notice from the Democratic Republic of the Congo for one of the most anticipated replacement fights in history.
Parker’s on a five-match winning run, while Bakole – who weighed in at 310LBS – previously defeated Carlos Takam in Saudi Arabia and Jared Anderson in Los Angeles during Riyadh Season bouts.
The fight is now an eliminator for a shot at Oleksandr Usyk’s WBO title.
Chinese boxing icon Zhilei Zhang, 41, will take on Agit Kabayel in an eliminator for the WBC heavyweight – also held by Usyk.
Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith will also feature on the card in a light-heavyweight eliminator – the winner will be the mandatory contender for either Beterbiev or Bivol.
There is another interim belt on the line between Vergil Ortiz Jr and Israil Madrimovin the super-welterweight division.
The monster card also features TWO OTHER title fights – both including up and coming British fighters.
Josh Padley was the shock name to step in for Flloyd Schofield after, like Dubois, he also had to withdraw.
Padley has a tough task against pound-for-pound superstar Shakur Stevenson.
British prodigy Hamzah Sheeraz takes on Carlos Adames for the WBC middleweight title.
Sheeraz is one of Britain’s brightest young stars and a real favourite of Eddie Hearn.
The card starts with a couple of Saudi prospects – Ziyad Almaayouf and Mohammed Alakel – in action.
Beterbiev vs Bivol 2 Full Card
- Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – for the IBF, IBO, WBC and WBO light-heavyweight titles
- Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole – for WBO interim heavyweight title
- Shakur Stevenson vs Josh Padley – for the WBC lightweight title
- Carlos Adames vs Hamzah Sheeraz – for the WBC middleweight titke
- Vergil Ortiz Jr vs Israil Madrimov – for the interim WBC heavyweight title
- Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel – for the interim WBC heavyweight title
- Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith – for the interim WBO light-heavyweight title
- Ziyad Almaayouf vs Jonatas Gomes de Oliveira
- Mohammes Alakel vs Engel Gomez
