Dmitry Bivol signs deal to face Artur Beterbiev in potential 2024 undisputed title clash
We are now a little closer to seeing another undisputed champion in boxing, as WBA and IBO light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 knockouts) signed his part of the contract to face WBC, IBF, and WBO light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 knockouts) this coming year in Saudi Arabia.
This would be a true spectacle for us fans to witness, given this matchup has been marinating for years at this point.
Only one thing could stand in the way of this fight going down in 2024, former WBA and Ring Magazine super-middleweight champion Callum Smith (29-1, 21 knockouts), who’s looked like a rejuvenated version of himself since moving up to 175 lbs from 168 lbs where he competed the majority of his career.
Standing 6’3”, light-heavyweight is certainly a better division for the long-bodied, hard-hitting Englishman.
Beterbiev was scheduled to face Smith on August 19, 2023, in another title defending effort. However, Beterbiev was forced from the bout due to a bone infection that required jaw surgery, and the booking was moved to January 13, 2024.
Not only is Smith the bigger party of the two, standing three inches taller than Beterbiev and having a five-inch reach advantage, but he’s also much younger at 33 years of age, whereas Beterbiev will turn 39 just one week following their clash in the new year.
But, Beterbiev has been defying father time for some time now, though he won’t have fought in nearly one year going into this one. Smith however has been out even longer, his last fight coming in August of 2022.
Assuming Beterbiev can get past Smith, his clash opposing Dmitry Bivol will be one of the biggest in recent memory. Bivol is an incredible talent that defeated Canelo Alvarez back in May of 2022 to defend his WBA title and has since defended it twice more.
As amateurs, Beterbiev went 96-10, winning the World Cup in 2008 and the World Championships in 2009; Bivol on the other hand went 268-15, winning the Cadet World Championships in each 2006 and 2007, as well as the World Combat Games in 2013.
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