Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev Prediction on February 22, 2025

Match info

With Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev 2 as the main event of the seven-championship fight lineup, this Saturday’s men’s boxing event is dubbed the “Fight Card of the Century.” It’s held under the promotional umbrella for the Saudi Arabian 2024–2025 Riyadh Season. Bivol vs. Beterbiev 2 is scheduled for February 22 at the ANB Arena at approximately 11 p.m. local time. This fight is billed as “The Last Crescendo” and is the rematch for the undisputed light heavyweight title (WBC, IBO, WBO, IBF, and WBA).

According to Uncrowned’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings, Beterbiev is now rated No. 4 and Bivol is ranked No. 7. It’s therefore not surprising that when the line was opened, online bookmakers which are new saw Beterbiev as the slight favorite.

Meeting statistics

The current form of Dmitry Bivol

Dmitry Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs), a former WBA and IBO world champion, lost his championships in his last bout against Beterbiev, which was the sole loss in his career. And only the fighter who was born in Kyrgyzstan and holds Russian citizenship has the ability to defeat Beterbiev in the light heavyweight class. Among Bivol’s numerous notable triumphs, the one versus Saúl Álvarez is noteworthy in and of itself.

Bivol’s strengths are his quickness, agility, and amateur-style classic boxing technique. He occasionally receives criticism for his unmemorable fights. His timing, shuttle, feints, and jabs can be part of textbooks, and he’s able to switch tactics in the middle of a fight.

Naturally, the prior battle damaged Bivol’s reputation for being unbeatable, although not significantly. We’re sure of the same thing before the rematch, which we were sure of before the previous bout: his fighting strategy won’t likely alter. However, the odds on his win for moneyline betting are a bit longer than his rival’s: Bivol is 1.98 on Shangri La. On the other hand, Beterbiev is 1.75.

The current form of Artur Beterbiev

After defeating Bivol, Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) became the undisputed world champion in the light heavyweight class. He has won all of his fights (except for the most recent one) by knockout. The boxer, who was born in Dagestan and represents Canada, has a fantastic career that’s far from done. Among his opponents are several well-known figures, like Bivol, Callum Smith, Anthony Yarde, Joe Smith Jr., and others.

The IBF ordered Beterbiev to fulfill his mandatory requirement against unknown opponent Michael Eifert after the last victory over Bivol; however, a step-aside agreement was reached that permitted Beterbiev and Bivol to rematch just four months after their initial encounter.

Every boxing fan is familiar with his straightforward technique, but nobody has yet to give Beterbiev anything sensible in the ring (apart from Bivol, of course). Voices claim that Beterbiev is already elderly (he’s 40), that aging will eventually take its toll, that injuries are becoming a hindrance, and that the cumulative damage is ruthless before every battle, but it always turns out that all of this rhetoric is done purely for the poor. According to the statistics, Beterbiev is in excellent physical condition, and his most recent bout demonstrated that he isn’t dealing with any age-related issues.

Head-to-head

After a thrilling 12-round fight in October, Beterbiev emerged victorious in a contentious majority decision to win the WBO, WBC, IBF, and WBA light heavyweight titles. By the third round, it was evident that Bivol wasn’t accustomed to the intensity of the fight, which had an impact on his speed and punch count. Even yet, he put up a strong defense, and the judges had a very hard time tallying the victories. By a majority vote, they ultimately awarded the victory to Beterbiev, who achieved his first career triumph on points. It’s also important to remember that not all experts supported the referee’s choice.

Match analytics

It makes more sense to wager on Bivol to win by points or perhaps by unanimous decision if you share our belief that he’ll prevail this time. The odds are more appealing here than in any other scenario. It’s not Bivol’s style to knock off Beterbiev; don’t expect that.

Tip: How the fight will be finished – Dmitriy Bivol to win by Unanimous Decision (UD), with odds of 3.30 on Betolimp.