Beterbiev and Bivol Meet Face-to-Face ahead of Undisputed Light Heavyweight Showdown

Beterbiev-Bivol will be a special one-fight broadcast from Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia LIVE on ESPN+

WBO/WBC/IBF champion Artur Beterbiev and WBA champion Dmitry Bivol stood eye to eye today at the initial press conference in London. They are gearing up for their upcoming light heavyweight title fight on June 1 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

Scheduled as an exclusive single-fight broadcast in the U.S., the event will be streamed live on ESPN+. The clash between these two undefeated titans promises to be a pivotal moment in boxing.

The promotion for the fight is backed by an alliance of top boxing promoters including Top Rank, Queensberry Promotions, Matchroom Boxing, World of Boxing Promotions, and Sela.

Artur Beterbiev, the only boxer to hold a 100% knockout rate among current world champions, boasts an impressive record. He claimed the IBF title by defeating Enrico Koelling and expanded his belt collection by conquering Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the WBC title and Joe Smith Jr. for the WBO title. His most recent triumph was against Callum Smith, whom he defeated in seven rounds earlier this January.

On the other side, Dmitry Bivol has consistently defended his WBA title after being promoted from interim champion in 2017. With 11 successful defenses under his belt, including notable wins against Jean Pascal and Canelo Alvarez, Bivol’s tactical prowess in the ring remains unchallenged.

Both fighters shared their thoughts at the press conference

Artur Beterbiev

“I just see another belt. I’m collecting belts, and I need one more.”

“I don’t know why {it’s taken so long to make this fight}. He knows better. Ask him.”

“We’ll see {if this is the biggest challenge}. I’m not thinking about it. I’m preparing for it. I will prepare and try to be at 100 percent.”

Dmitry Bivol

“When I signed a contract to be a pro boxer, I had a goal to become undisputed. Everything that I have gone through has been for that. I did it to achieve my goal. Even the fight against Canelo. It was my ticket for big fights. And now I’m happy that I will have this fight on June 1 for all the belts.”

“For every training camp, I think my opponent is the most dangerous opponent in the world. This helps me to be focused and serious in my training. Of course, he’s one of my most dangerous opponents. You see his record and his fights. He is powerful. It makes me more excited to fight against him because I love challenges. I love to be tested. This fight is a huge test for me.”

“Every person is different. Not only me. I have good skills. I just believe in my skills. I have been in boxing for 28 years. I’ve been in boxing ever since I can remember. I love this sport, and I think my experience will help me. And my mentality, skills, and camp. I believe I can be undisputed.”

Todd duBoef (Top Rank President)

“I’ve always been a fan of destruction. And this guy is destruction. Every time you turn on the television, my phone would ring and friends from all over the world would call me and say, ‘Who is this monster?’ And, I think he gets better with each fight.”