Since its inception, Riyadh Season has been providing fight fans with entertaining 50/50 fights, and on Saturday evening, October 12, Riyadh Season will present the ultimate 50/50 fight in which WBA lightweight heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol will face WBC, WBO, IBF champion Artur Beterbiev.

At times it seemed like a potential Beterbiev-Bivol fight would fall into the category of substantial fights that never happened. Fortunately, both fighters managed to reach an agreement and the fight will take place on October 12 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, live on ESPN+.

This fight for undisputed position has all the ingredients to make it an instant classic. This is a classic fight between boxers and punchers, in which both boxers are undefeated and both are currently performing at a high level.

Dmitry Bivol was previously introduced to the public in May 2022 when he fought the man many consider to be the face of boxing. During his title defense against Canelo Alvarez, the WBA world champion unleashed his entire repertoire.

Bivol controlled the distance, used his jabs, consistently landed straight punches, had excellent timing, had a acute counterattack and was responsible defensively. At the end of the 12-round world title contest, Dmitry Bivol won a unanimous decision.

Six months later, Bivol defended his title against a Mexican boxer who entered the fight with 44 wins and no losses. Once again, Bivol demonstrated his ring generality and technical skills by defeating Gilberto Ramirez.

In June 2024, after winning nine straight fights by unanimous decision, Bivol finally stopped his opponent, earning a sixth-round TKO victory over Malik Zinad. Now Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KO) faces the toughest challenge in his professional career.

As a Top Rank boxer, Artur Beterbiev consistently recorded impressive knockouts on ESPN telecasts. Every time Beterbiev stepped into the squared circle, he overwhelmed his opponent with devastating force.

In June 2022, WBC and IBF lightweight heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev traveled to Recent York to face WBO lightweight heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. In the fight between boxer and puncher, Artur Beterbiev dominated Recent York’s Joe Smith in front of his home. crowd.

In the final seconds of the first round, Beterbiev caught Smith on a cross as he connected with a rigid right that sent Smith crashing to the canvas. Smith managed to get back to his feet, but was returned to the canvas twice in the second round.

After recovering from his third knockdown, Smith was badly injured when Beterbiev landed a rigid uppercut that forced the referee to step in and stop the fight. Beterbiev then scored knockout victories over Anthony Yard and Callum Smith.

Now current unified lightweight heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KO) plans to defeat Dmitry Bivol and achieve his goal of becoming the undisputed world champion.

Artur Beterbiev is a talented, hard-hitting striker who likes to press forward. Beterbiev has a solid jab, places his punches well and can fight off his back foot.

Dmitry Bivol is an elite boxer who has all the tools. Bivol has IQ, accuracy, timing, footwork, punch placement, is an excellent counter puncher and can set traps. Given all of Bivol’s abilities, the most intriguing question is what happens when Beterbiev cuts off the ring?

Despite the fact that Dmitry Bivol has great boxing talent, during this fight there will come a moment when Bivol will have to stand his ground and fight Beterbiev.

In 1999, Hall of Fame boxer Roy Jones Jr was the last undisputed lightweight heavyweight champion of the three-belt era. On Saturday night, in a long-awaited legacy fight, the winner of the Beterbiev-Bivol fight will become the first undisputed lightweight heavyweight champion of the four-belt era.

ALL the main fighters have made their weights ahead of tomorrow night’s huge fight for the undisputed lightweight heavyweight title. In the main event, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, as expected, looked full of energy and readiness. Jai Opetaia and Jack Massey were only an envelope apart, while Frazer Clarke was 30 pounds heavier than Fabio Wardley.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – OCTOBER 11: Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke will face off ahead of the British heavyweight title fight between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke at the Riyad – IV Crown Showdown season weigh-ins at The Venue on October 11, 2024 in Riyad, Saudi Arabia . (Photo: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – OCTOBER 11: Jai Opetaia and Jack Massey pose for a photo before the IBF World Cruiserweight title fight between Jai Opetaia and Jack Massey during the in-season weigh-in at Riyad – IV Crown Showdown at The Venue on October 11, 2024. in Riyad, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – OCTOBER 11: Chris Eubank Jr and Kamil Szeremeta pose for a photo before the IBO World Middleweight title fight between Chris Eubank Jr and Kamil Szeremeta during the in-season weigh-in in Riyad – IV Crown Showdown at The Venue: October 11, 2024 . in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Main fight weights for the Beterbiev vs. card Bivol:

Artur Beterbiev (174.9) vs. Dmitry Bivol (174.12)

Jai Opetaia (198.9) vs. Jack Massey (199/12)

Fabio Wardley (241.6) vs. Frazer Clarke (271.3)

Chris Eubank Jr (159.12) vs. Kamil’s love (159.12)

Ben Whittaker (174.9) vs. Liam Cameron (174.6)

Skye Nicolson (125.9) vs. Raven Chapman (125.9)

Watch Beterbiev vs. Bivol and an uncontested card featuring Wardley vs. Clarke 2 live on DAZN PPV. Buy the fight for £19.99 and get a 7-day free trial, no subscription required.

Sivenathi Nontshinga enjoys fighting in his hometown as much as any fighter, but he thrives on the challenge of fighting in someone else’s hometown.

That will be the case on Saturday when Nontshinga, who is ranked No. 2 in the 108-pound weight class according to The Ring, defends Masamichi Yabuki’s IBF junior flyweight world title at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Japan, a suburb of Nagoya where Yabuki lives .

At Friday’s weigh-in, Nontshing weighed 107.3 pounds. Yabuki weighed 107.1 pounds.

Nontshinga (13-1, 10 knockouts), based in Reeston, South Africa, last fought on February 16, defeating Adrien Curiel in the 10th round and regaining the IBF world champion belt. The victory over Curiel was a rematch of their November 4 clash, which Curiel won by knockout in the second round.

The 25-year-old won the vacant IBF title in September 2022, defeating Hector Flores Calixto via split decision. Both victories over Curiel and Flores came in Mexico. Nontshinga will go to foreign soil again to defend his title against Yabuki (16-4, 15 KO), who is ranked 6th according to The Ring.

Nontshinga has no problem fighting in another fighter’s hometown and actually loves fighting in this environment.

“Honestly, I love fighting in foreign countries or in my opponent’s backyard,” Nontshinga told The Ring Wednesday. “Thanks to them, I am (much) better and more powerful, and even (more) confident, because in the end it is me and the boxer in the square ring. Nobody else.”

Nontshinga hopes to follow in the footsteps of some of South Africa’s boxing greats, including the likes of former world champions ‘Baby’ Jake Matlala, Gerrie Coetzee and Brian Mitchell. All three fighters survived defeat before winning the world championship belt and leaving their mark on the sport.

Despite losing to Curiel in the first fight, Nontshinga recovered and regained the world champion belt. Nontshinga wants to forge his own path in the sport and hopes to contribute to the great history of the sport in South Africa.

“I’ve learned that sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but the main reason is learning, dusting yourself off and pulling your socks up,” said Nontshinga, who made his professional debut in East London, South Africa, in July 2017. “It’s all a learning curve . Think of it as a minor setback for (a) major setback (or) a major comeback.

“To be mentioned among the best from my country would simply mean a lot because these are our icons.”

Nontshinga is trained and managed by Colin Nathan, who is based in Johannesburg and is respected in boxing circles in South Africa and abroad. Nontshinga is grateful to have someone with Nathan’s pedigree in his corner.

“(Colin) means everything to me,” Nontshinga said. “(He) played a huge role in my career. I’m here because of him. I will always honor this man’s name. He changed my life and the life of my family.”

A victory over Yakubi could put Nontshinga on the path to unification with another 108-pound world titleholder. Nontshinga could face the winner of the October 13 fight between Shokichi Iwata and Jairo Noriega, who will fight for the vacant WBO junior flyweight world title.

A fight with Kenshiro Teraji, who is the 108-pound ring champion, is possible.

Nontshinga wants to make a statement at Yakubi’s expense and also prove that he is the best fighter at 108 pounds.

“I will surprise the whole world and outsmart Yabuki, but believe me, the fight will end in (a) knockout in the later rounds.

“I think I’m one of the best junior flyweights and I have the tools to become the best.”

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