Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol are set to square off in a highly anticipated non-PPV event on ESPN+ on October 12th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This matchup will see IBF, WBC, and WBO light heavyweight champion Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) take on WBA champion Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs) in a 12-round headliner at the Kingdom Arena. While oddsmakers have Bivol as the favorite, hardcore boxing fans view this clash as a true 50-50 battle. Bivol has yet to face someone of Beterbiev’s caliber and has shown vulnerabilities against lesser opponents.
On the undercard of the event, rising star Shakur Stevenson will defend his WBA lightweight title against Joe Cordina, with the fight being offered at a reasonable price of $14.99 on PPV. However, social media has seen a backlash against this matchup, as fans are hesitant to pay for a fight featuring Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) who is perceived as a less entertaining fighter. Additionally, his opponent, Cordina (17-1, 9 KOs), is coming off a knockout loss in his last fight. This has led to skepticism regarding the decision to sell this bout on PPV, especially considering the lack of excitement surrounding the fighters.
The October 12th PPV portion of the event will also showcase other intriguing matchups, including Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Kamil Szeremeta, Fabio Wardley vs. Frazer Clarke II, Jai Opetaia vs. Jack Massey, Skye Nicolson vs. Raven Chapman, and Mohammed Alamel vs. Jose Gonzalez. However, the overall reception to the undercard has been mixed, with some fans expressing disappointment in the selection of fighters and the decision to split the event between ESPN+ and another network for the PPV portion.
The upcoming showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol has generated significant buzz in the boxing world. While the main event promises an exciting battle between two undefeated champions, the undercard matchups have faced criticism and skepticism from fans. It remains to be seen how the event will unfold and whether it will live up to the expectations set for it.