It has often been said that Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol is the best and most enticing fight to make in the entire sport, and that might well be true. The fighters are exceptionally good at what they do, but each needs a victory over the other to be recognized as the best light heavyweight of their era.
Such is the case in the modern age, when sanctioning-body belts essentially hold their owners hostage, keeping them away from their best opponents for too long. The records of Beterbiev and Bivol – though glossy and eye-catching – are not exactly bulging with truly elite-level opposition.
Bivol has the win over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – a natural super middleweight – and another over Gilberto Ramirez. But after that, it’s slim pickings when finding opponents on his record that could elevate him to the status of an all-time great. And for Beterbiev, though he has won all his 20 fights by knockout, there is only a smattering of victories over truly befitting opposition.
Nonetheless, over the course of their 10 Greatest Hits – a collaborative effort, with both of their finest showings on the playlist – there are plenty of performances to further whet the appetite for Saturday night’s fight.
10) Beterbiev KO4 Gabriel Campillo (April 2015)
The belief that Beterbiev, an outstanding amateur, was a champion-in-waiting gathered pace with this one-sided drubbing of perennial contender Gabriel Campillo. Though the Spaniard was past his best, he was on a three-fight win streak and widely regarded among the top 10 light heavyweights in the world. Beterbiev, in only his eighth professional outing, dropped his man in the opening round with a right and closed the show with his other hand in the fourth.
9) Bivol UD12 Joe Smith Jr. (March 2019)
Smith, a solid and perennial figure in the 175-pound top 10, is the common rival who highlights the difference in approach taken by Bivol and Beterbiev. Five years ago, with Smith closer to his best than when he encountered Beterbiev, Bivol patiently outboxed and befuddled his willing foe, hurting him on occasion. There was a moment at the end of the 10th, when Smith clattered Bivol on or just after the bell, that saw the Russian walk back to his stool unsteadily. Complete control was regained in the 11th, however.
8) Bivol TKO6 Malik Zinad (June 2024)
Though sometimes a little too happy to go through the motions, Bivol reminded the world what he can do when in a clinical mood. Bivol started quickly, exposing a somewhat crude approach from his opponent, left-hooking Zinad to the mat in the opening round. The challenger continued to burst forward, only to be countered and largely outclassed. Bivol finished matters in the sixth when two shots from his left opened up his foe for a two-fisted barrage.
7) Beterbiev KO9 Marcus Browne (December 2021)
Beterbiev appeared to be getting on top of Browne after a slow start when their heads came together in the fourth and left the favorite with a gruesome, gaping gash in the middle of his forehead. The wound was so severe, in fact, that it continued to pump claret for the remainder of the fight. No matter. Beterbiev decked Browne in the seventh and, after being warned at the start of the ninth that the fight would be stopped due to the cut, duly knocked his opponent out with an uppercut.
6) Beterbiev TKO8 Anthony Yarde (January 2023)
There were moments (and only moments) when Yarde looked like he might (and only might) pull off a ginormous upset when he challenged Beterbiev in London last year. Yarde had success to the point that two of the three judges had him winning the firefight going into the eighth. Not for the last time, however, Beterbiev responded positively. With both fighters cut, Beterbiev fired an overhand right that wobbled Yarde, then another that floored him. With the fight as good as over, the Englishman’s corner rescued their man when further punishment came hurtling at him.
5) Beterbiev TKO2 Joe Smith Jr. (June 2022)
A sizzling demolition job for Beterbiev over a fellow belt-holder that was markedly more memorable than Bivol’s victory over the same foe. Smith, known for his durability and having never been stopped, made the foolhardy decision to punch with Beterbiev. He went down midway through the first, only for it to be ruled a slip. Over the course of the next three minutes, Smith would take three counts before being hauled out by the referee in a severe state of discombobulation.
4) Beterbiev TKO7 Callum Smith (January 2024)
A warning for Bivol: Prior to Beterbiev’s most recent outing, we were being told that “The Beast” was getting old, that his injuries were catching up with him, that against a smart and rangy boxer like Callum Smith, he might have significant problems reproducing his old form. What followed was one of Beterbiev’s most destructive and impressive showings, as he overcame the former super middleweight belt-holder in Round 7, decking him twice and demanding surrender from Smith’s corner.
3) Bivol UD12 Gilberto Ramirez (November 2022)
Bivol made a very good opponent in Ramirez (then 44-0) look completely ordinary late in ’22. The bout was eagerly awaited, with some picking Ramirez to win beforehand. In truth, he never got a sniff of victory. The Mexican was a former titlist at 168 and had looked destructive while halting all five of his opponents at light heavyweight, but Bivol, exhibiting his habit of making the hardest game look oh-so easy, peppered his foe with unerringly accurate assaults throughout.
2) Beterbiev TKO10 Oleksandr Gvozdyk (October 2019)
Before Bivol became the ideal opponent for Beterbiev, Gvozdyk was regarded as the biggest threat to Beterbiev’s supremacy at light heavyweight. Gvozdyk, 17-0 heading in and an amateur conqueror of Bivol, started well, and after eight rounds the bout looked poised. But Beterbiev was only just getting started; he had his opponent – ahead on two cards – reeling in the ninth and then on the canvas three times in the 10th.
1) Bivol UD12 Canelo Alvarez (May 2022)
Bivol was simply majestic in Las Vegas when he upset the revered Canelo in his adopted hometown. Alvarez was expected to win, but Bivol, fighting more aggressively than is his custom, never gave the Mexican superstar a chance, regularly jolting him from his rhythm while dictating both the pace and distance. Perhaps most impressive of all was that Bivol – such was the level of his control – was so at ease that he didn’t even appear to go into top gear.
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