Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol Preview
One of the most anticipated boxing matches of the year will take place on Saturday, October 12th. Artur Beterbiev faces Dmitry Bivol in an undisputed light-heavyweight showdown. The winner will make history and could face Canelo Álvarez.
This is such an exciting match-up for many reasons, including four light-heavyweight straps and their undefeated records are on the line. It’s also a clash of styles with Bivol pitting his cerebral technique against the sheer savagery of Beterbiev.
Nobody is certain about this fight. Beterbiev started as the favourite, but now the scales have tipped in favour of Bivol. This could be anybody’s fight, which is a great way to settle an undisputed title.
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol Key Stats and Head-to-Head
One of the best aspects of this championship bout is the timing. Beterbiev enters this bout with an undefeated 20-0 record. His 100% KO record is the stuff of legend. Few fighters carry the same mystique as the Quebec-based boxer.
Meanwhile, Bivol also has an unbeaten record at 23-0. He has 12 KOs for a 53% knockout percentage. Before his recent stoppage victory over Malik Zinad, he won nine straight fights by decision. However, he’s not a boring fighter and is very technical. His victory over Canelo Álvarez is the most high-profile victory on both boxer’s records.
Beterbiev appears to have a power advantage over everybody he faces. However, despite showing no signs of slowing down, he is 39. Bivol is six years his junior at 33. Beterbiev has a one-inch reach advantage but is half an inch shorter. There’s very little between them in the physical statistics.
Bivol’s last win over Zinad was a stay-busy fight over a lighter opponent. He hoped for a rematch with Canelo, but now this undisputed match-up is happening. Meanwhile, Beterbiev’s most recent victory was over Britain’s Callum Smith. He battered the Briton to defend his WBC, IBF, and WBO titles.
All those straps are on the line in this match and Bivol’s IBO title. The winner will become the first undisputed light-heavyweight champion since Roy Jones Jr. There’s a chance to etch their names into the history books and become legends.
Beterbiev currently trains under the highly respected Marc Ramsay in Montreal. Meanwhile, Bivol has worked with Gennady Mashianov since his time as an amateur. Both men have close relationships with their coaches.
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol Predictions
Dmitry Bivol is the favourite (at the time of writing) to win this fight. However, our boxing prediction is that Beterbiev will win. We believe he will overwhelm Bivol and maintain his 100% stoppage rate.
The problem with fighting Beterbiev is that he is such a devastating offensive fighter. Bivol will probably try to use his length and box behind his jab. He’ll try to keep Beterbiev at a distance and outpoint him. We don’t expect him to finish his fellow Russian-born champion.
This is a problem for Bivol because Beterbiev doesn’t take a step back. He walks opponents down before brutalising them with his savage power. Boxers wilt in front of him after taking a couple of clean shots. Bivol must be perfect for the entire fight because Beterbiev only needs to land a single punch.
Many analysts focus on Beterbiev’s power but overlook that he’s hit the canvas several times. His chin may be a weakness as he grows older. It’s very difficult to stay safe against Beterbiev, but if Bivol is patient, he may use this to his advantage.
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Beterbiev’s age is a concern for some fans. A time will arrive when he slows down and cannot absorb the damage. Bivol doesn’t have the same stopping power, but he can break an opponent down. We saw how Canelo struggled to stand in front of him during their bout. Bivol should rip Beterbiev’s body when he has the chance.
The Canelo victory was also crucial for Bivol’s confidence. There’s no bigger name in boxing right now than the Mexican. He carries more fanfare than anybody else. The experience of fighting in front of his passionate fans means nothing should rattle Bivol.
Bivol is arguably the more skilful boxer and has underrated footwork. His mobility is one of his potential keys to victory. If he can keep this a long-range battle, he may exhaust Beterbiev and take the sting out of his shots. He can’t risk staying in the pocket and absorbing the Canadian resident’s damaging punches. It’s smarter to try to reduce Beterbiev’s stamina.
Another variable is Beterbiev’s knee injury. They originally scheduled this fight in June. It remains to be seen if Beterbiev has fully recovered or if his knee will adversely affect him in this bout. Check out the live betting odds because they may shift again if Bivol struggles to assert himself in the early rounds.
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol Betting Tips
Dmitry Bivol is a 4/6 favourite to beat Beterbiev in Saudi Arabia. The odds may shift before this fight because this is a very close match-up. Betting on Bivol will make sense to some people because they believe his technical superiority is the difference maker.
A €10 stake on Bivol to win outright would make €6.67. This is a reasonable profit, but it may not be appealing enough to all players. There’s no debating Beterbiev’s knockout threat. He’s one of the most extraordinary power punchers in modern boxing. The same wager on a Beterbiev win could make €11 at 11/10.
It’s more lucrative to select the method of victory. Most people think this fight will go one of two ways. They foresee a Beterbiev KO win or Bivol by decision. The former is available at 7/4. He’s already knocked out top boxers like Anthony Yarde and Oleksandr Gvozdyk, but Bivol represents a sterner test.
Meanwhile, it’s 21/20 for a Bivol decision victory. This time, €10 would make €10.50 if successful. We believe this is a better option than picking him to win outright. Bivol is coming off a knockout victory, but that was an anomaly. He tends not to stop top fighters and Beterbiev is one of the best.
It’s 10/1 for Beterbiev to win by decision at our online bookmaker. We agree that this is very unlikely. A Bivol KO is available at 5/1. This is more likely because Beterbiev has suffered knockdowns in the past. He can leave himself open when he throws combinations.
Consider over-under betting on how far this fight will go. This is a good prop wager if you’re backing Beterbiev. We would pick the bout to end before 7.5 rounds at 3/1. Bivol is tough, but Beterbiev is one of the most dangerous power strikers in the sport. You could also simply pick yes or no for the fight to go the distance. The former is currently 7/10, while it’s 11/10 for this match to end early.
These relatively close odds show that this fight is dividing opinions. It’s 7/10 for this match to go the distance. Meanwhile, it’s 21/10 for it to finish between rounds 7-12. We think these are the two most likely results.
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Players can be more specific by choosing Beterbiev to win by KO or, in a separate wager, by TKO. It’s 6/1 for him to score a clean knockout. A TKO is less lucrative at 11/4. But this covers if he finishes Bivol with a flurry of punches or if the corner throws in the towel.
Check out the decision markets for Bivol. A unanimous decision seems the most likely at 9/5. Beterbiev’s power could sneak him rounds on some judge’s card. So consider Bivol by majority decision too at 16/1.
There are many boxing fights to bet on this weekend. On the same card, Skye Nicolson faces Raven Chapman. You can also bet on Chris Eubank Jr. who is boxing on the stacked undercard. He’ll fight Kamil Szeremta. Consider making an accumulator with your favourite match-ups.
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol Outcome
The stakes for these boxers in Riyadh are huge this weekend. First, the most immediate outcome is that the winner will make history as an undisputed light-heavyweight champion. Both men will walk away with at least $10 million each. There’s no rematch clause, so their next fights won’t be against each other.
Canelo Álvarez has been open about wanting a rematch with Dmitry Bivol. The fight makes sense and would draw massive interest. However, a Beterbiev victory may be less attractive to the Mexican icon. His power may be too much for Alvarez at this stage of his career.
