Author: Sean Crose

This weekend’s undisputed lithe heavyweight title fight between undefeated Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol is rightly attracting a lot of attention. While it’s true that the winner will be declared the undisputed lithe heavyweight champion of the world, he will also enter the pantheon of all-time lithe heavyweight champions – and that’s saying something. Gene Tunney, Archie Moore, Billy Conn, Michael Spinks, Ezzard Charles and seemingly countless other icons found glory in this division. In fact, the lithe heavyweight division may be the most underrated division in all of boxing history. Positioned somewhere between heavyweight and middleweight, he never gets the respect and attention he deserves.

It’s difficult to argue that a Beterbiev-Bivol winner will assist elevate the lithe heavyweight division in the public eye, but it certainly won’t hurt. Bivol, 23, can walk and talk. He has already made boxing history by defeating the great Canelo Alvarez in 2022. Now he’s after an even bigger prize: divisional domination. As for Beterbiev, since the beginning of his career in 2013, the man has been nothing less than a picture of doom. Moreover, none of the guy’s 20 opponents were able to withstand such a distance with him.

Although it will be a fight for all the symbolic marbles, there is no denying that this matchup is electrifying on paper as well. Every person fights in their own unique way. Bivol is a chess master who has more strength than guys like Canelo could handle. Beterbiev, on the other hand, lets his fists do the talking. However, there is more to this man than just bulky hands. He works his way to knockout moments. This is not some savage we are talking about here, but a specialist from the consulate.

Whether or not it ends in a thrilling battle – and it’s difficult to imagine it won’t – the winner will earn the right to be mentioned alongside all the legends who have fought in the lithe heavyweight division before. And there is no denying that this is a really sedate matter. This fight has been a long wait, so it’s good to know that Beterbiev and Bivol will finally meet in the ring on Saturday. Let’s hope it was worth the wait. Historical battles are better when they’re entertaining.

For the first time in the four-belt era, two lithe heavyweights will face each other to fight for the undisputed championship.

On Saturday, October 12 in Riyad, Saudi Arabia (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET), the WBC, WBO and IBF champion will face WBA titleholder Dmitry Bivol (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET) to unify all the major 175-pound belts.

The fight was scheduled to take place on June 1 this year, but a month before the fight, Beterbiev suffered a torn meniscus and underwent knee surgery, which forced a postponement. Instead of waiting, Bivol (23-0, 12 KO) fought Malik Zinad that day and scored a sixth-round TKO victory, his only stoppage win in his last 10 fights.

Beterbiev (20-0, 20) is the only boxing champion with a 100% KO rate. As of November 2017, he holds at least one lithe heavyweight title. Beterbiev unified his three belts in a second-round TKO victory over Joe Smith Jr. in June 2022 and has since made two successful defenses.

There are two other title fights on the card. Jai Opetaia defends her IBF cruiserweight title against Jack Massey, and Skye Nicolson puts her WBC featherweight belt on the line against Raven Chapman.

Where can I watch the Beterbiev vs. fight? Bivol on Saturday, October 12?

Beterbiev vs. fight Bivol’s undisputed lithe heavyweight title bout will air on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET.

Watch: Download the ESPN App | WatchESPN | TV

Don’t have ESPN? Find out how to get instant access today: ESPNInstantAccess.com

How to broadcast fights?

The fights will be broadcast on mobile devices using the ESPN application.

The undercard starts at 12:00 ET on DAZN.

Beterbiev vs. Bivol full card:

On ESPN+

• Title fight: Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol, 12 rounds, for Beterbiev’s WBC, WBO and IBF lithe heavyweight titles and Bivol’s WBA lithe heavyweight title

He DAZN

• Fabio Wardley vs. Frazer Clarke, 12 rounds, for the British heavyweight title

• Title fight: Jai Opetaia vs. Jack Massey, 12 rounds, for Opetaia’s IBF cruiserweight title

• Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Kamil Szeremeta, 12 rounds, middleweight

• Ben Whittaker vs. Liam Cameron, 10 rounds, lithe heavyweight

• Title fight: Skye Nicolson vs. Raven Chapman, 10 rounds, for Nicolson’s WBC featherweight title

• Mohammed Alakel vs. Jesus Gonzalez, 4 rounds, lightweight

Top stories:

Tim Bradley believes highly-ranked lightweight contender William Zepeda could lose next month to Tevin Farmer in a ten-round fight at “Latino Night” on Nov. 16 at The Venue in Riyadh.

The 34-year-old Farmer (33-6-1, 8 KO) is a wily former IBF super featherweight champion who is coming off a ten-round unanimous decision loss to Raymond Muratalla on July 13 in Paradise, Nevada.

WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson is expected to be next for Zepeda if he wins against Farmer and looks good doing it. If he loses, this fight is out of the question.

Zepeda has looked impressive recently, scoring knockouts against the following fighters:

– Giovanni Cabrera
– Maxi Hughes
– Mercito Gesta
– Jaime Arboleda

I would prefer Hughes and Cabrera over Farmer. These guys would be a gigantic problem for him in his career. Commentator Bradley believes Farmer has enough at this point in his 13-year career to likely defeat Zepeda (31-0, 27 KO). I don’t agree with this.

This will be another demolition task for Zepeda, which could be completed by the fourth unless Farmer keeps moving non-stop. That’s not how Farmer fights.

This would be a major blow to Zepeda’s Golden Boy-promoted career as he is ranked No. 1 in all four lightweight sanctioning bodies and is set to fight WBC champion Shakur Stevenson next February.

“If Zepeda can blow Farmer away, that’s a great statement because I don’t think Farmer is just showing up for a paycheck. Farmer is still fighting for victory. It’s about its structure and character. He’s not spineless, and when he shows up in the ring, he shows up to win,” said Paulie Malignaggi. Probox TVtalking about William Zepeda fighting Tevin Farmer on November 16 during “Latino Night” in Riyad.

Before Farmer’s loss to the highly sought-after Raymond Muratalla last July, he had won three straight, dating back to a loss to Joseph Diaz in 2020. Farmer is still in great shape. However, his problem is that he fights outside his natural weight class and against a great boxer, Zepeda.

“I like this fight because it can show us any shortcomings in Zepeda’s style. Yes, he’s a two-fisted destroyer, but could he be more against a guy with Tevin Farmer’s cunning and grit? That’s why this fight is really fascinating,” Malignaggi said.

Farmer will make Zepeda look bad at times early on, but once he warms up by the third game it will soon be over. Farmer won’t be able to take the shots Zepeda is firing at him without falling apart.

“You expect Zepeda to win because Farmer is on the other side of his best,” Malignaggi said. “But you don’t expect it to be as instructive as Zepeda was doing to these other guys.

“If he can get the better of Farmer like he did against the other guys, then it will be a more profound statement. He’s banging on the door, wanting to win the title. It is mandatory in all four [sanctioning bodies]. So the title fight should come soon,” Malignaggi said of Zepeda.

“It could backfire. I know what Golden Boy is trying to do, but Farmer is sneaky,” said Tim Bradley, who thinks Zepeda could lose. “This guy could win this fight. I saw it.

Farmer has nothing to stop Zepeda from taking him down and cutting him to pieces in this fight early on. Farmer is too feeble to fight a lightweight fighter like Zepeda.

“Zepeda is a type of shrimp [Mantis] it kills you. I saw it in one of the National Geographic specials,” Malignaggi said, referring to Zepeda’s nickname “Camaron.” “Zepeda is one of those types of shrimp. He is a striker. I’m not a fan of science, but there is a shrimp that means death [Mantis Shrimp]. I’m talking about the shrimp where you die. Zepeda is a type of shrimp.

Zepeda shouldn’t have any problems with the 34-year-old Farmer, but it will take him a few rounds to balmy up before he starts loading him up with combinations.