Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitri Bivol: Two bets for the action in Saudi Arabia

There is a blockbuster boxing bout set for Saturday night when Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev clash for the undisputed light-heavyweight crown.

The showdown between Bivol of Beterbiev is part of a packed Riyadh card, which also features Chris Eubank Jr, Ben Whittaker Jai Opetaia and a heavyweight rematch between British duo Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke.

Tips

Dmitrii Bivol to beat Artur Beterbiev @ 4/5 general 

Under 10.5 rounds in Fabio Wardley v Frazer Clarke @ 10/11 Coral, Ladbrokes

Dmitrii Bivol to beat Artur Beterbiev @ 4/5 general 

Beterbiev will put his WBC, IBF and WBO world light-heavyweight titles on the line against WBA king Bivol in what promises to be a thrilling undisputed showdown. 

Beterbiev has a perfect record of 20 wins from 20 fights as a professional and all of those victories have come by stoppage. It’s an imperious card, but Bivol is 23-0 and the 33-year-old is a formidable opponent. 

It would be harsh to describe this contest as the power and pressure of Beterbiev against the skill and style of Bivol, but those are certainly the strengths of the two fighters and that may be how things play out in Saudi Arabia. 

There was a feeling that 39-year-old Beterbiev was slowing down when the Canada-based fighter was troubled in a bout with Britain’s Anthony Yarde last year. However, the Russian-born boxer appeared to have dispelled those worries when dominating and stopping another British fighter in Callum Smith earlier this year. 

There were certainly no signs of Beterbiev’s advancing years in that contest, but Smith hasn’t won a meaningful fight since beating John Ryder way back in 2019 and the merit of that win is open to question. 

Bivol defeated the excellent Gilberto Ramirez, which looks top-level form, in 2020 and that success followed a victory over super-middleweight king Saul Alvarez. 

The Russian doesn’t have the power of Beterbiev, but Bivol has the skills, movement and boxing ability to make the 39-year-old miss and that could take its toll as the fight progresses. 

It should be a cracking Saudi Arabia showdown on Saturday night and it’s a bout which Bivol is taken to win. 

Under 10.5 rounds in Fabio Wardley v Frazer Clarke @ 10/11 Coral, Ladbrokes 

Wardley and Clarke rematch for the British heavyweight title after a barnstorming first contest. 

It was a wonder how the duo made it through to the final bell of that March bout, with both boxers slugging it out for a split-decision draw. 

Clearly it was a closely-fought contest on the scorecards, but it certainly wasn’t a cagey clash and it’s worth remembering that Clarke hit the deck in the fifth round. 

Big Fraze will be making only his 10th professional appearance this weekend, but the Brit is a veteran of a hatful of amateur contests and there have to be worries surrounding the 33-year-old’s punch resistance in what is set to be another brutal clash. 

That said, Clarke did have the better of the bout until he hit the deck and Wardley worked wonders to absorb as much punishment as he took in the first fight between the pair. 

Both men will be keen to stamp their authority on this fight and avoid going the distance once again, so take under 10.5 rounds in what should be another heavy-hitting showdown.