Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol II | PPV - 22 February 2025

[THEBUTCH]

Two kings colliding

[veriton]

I won't be buying this, and the hype about it being the best card ever is boring.

I bought the first Beterbiev Bivol fight on PPV and I'm in no rush to see it again. Tactically excellent but hardly exciting.

The Sheeraz fight is the only one I'd love to watch but I'm not paying 20 quid just for that.

The fact the bill is in Saudi just makes it a soulless experience and not like a big night in Vegas or MSG so count me out.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight week!!

[THEBUTCH]

It will interesting to see if Beterbiev can bring something extra this time. Bivol does what he always does, but I wonder if Artur will be able to cut the ring off quicker this time.

Quite astonishing that Bivol was the first boxer to take Beterbiev the distance. That's how good you have to be to stand a chance of beating Artur.

[Ruthless-RKO]

SHAKUR STEVENSON: I'M THE BEST FIGHTER ON BETERBIEV-BIVOL CARD, I'M MUST-SEE TV

The Riyadh Season show on February 22 in Saudi Arabia – billed as the “The Last Crescendo” – is being heralded as the greatest boxing fight card ever assembled.

Topping the event is the undisputed light heavyweight title rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. In the co-main event slot, IBF heavyweight titleholder Daniel Dubois defends his belt for the first time against Joseph Parker. Other matchups include Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Israil Madrimov, Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz, and Zhilei Zhang vs. Agit Kabayel.

Preceding the co-main event will be Shakur Stevenson’s WBC lightweight title defense against Floyd Schofield Jr.

Stevenson is confident that he’s the star of the stacked show.

“No disrespect to them guys, but I’m the best fighter [on the card]. I’m what everyone wants to see on that card,” Stevenson said on DAZN’s “On the Ground” series. “A lot of people said they’re not going to wake up at a certain time [to watch the fight] and all that stuff. But everybody is going to be watching that sh-t. Everybody is going to want to see Shakur. A lot of people act like Shakur isn’t must-see TV, but I'm must-see TV. I’m the best fighter in boxing. Everyone wants to see me. Everybody wants to watch me. They’re going to keep paying attention.”

Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) will be making his Matchroom Boxing debut and is fighting for the first time since scoring a unanimous decision against Artem Harutyunyan in July. The Newark, New Jersey native was originally supposed to fight in October against Joe Cordina, but a hand injury derailed his date.

“It’s been a rocky couple of months,” said Stevenson. “It just seems that a lot of people are counting me out. They talk bad about me. They act like I’m not this person that I’ve been my whole life. So, f--- them. Mentally, it starts to bother me but then you start to realize that the only thing that really matters is the people that care about you.”

Stevenson, a three-division champion and The Ring’s No. 3 rated lightweight, is unbothered by the challenges the upstart Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) could present.

“He's a young lion who is hungry and undefeated. Truthfully, I guess you can say there is more to it,” said Stevenson. “This is going to be the best version of me. I think I am going to whoop some ass this year starting with Kid Austin. Hopefully everything will go right so all of my dreams come true.”

[TheLeprechaun]

I won't be buying this, and the hype about it being the best card ever is boring.

I bought the first Beterbiev Bivol fight on PPV and I'm in no rush to see it again. Tactically excellent but hardly exciting.

The Sheeraz fight is the only one I'd love to watch but I'm not paying 20 quid just for that.

The fact the bill is in Saudi just makes it a soulless experience and not like a big night in Vegas or MSG so count me out.

I have to agree. Unfortunately both guys have the charisma of a tax return form. Bivol will come in to box and move. Run as I see it vs Beterbiev. I knows he's "boxing" but it's very negative to watch.

[Ruthless-RKO]

On if beating Bivol a second time will feel as good as going undisputed the first time
“For fight, yes the same. That time I want to grab all belts, now I want to defend them.”

On how his ailing knee felt during first fight
“From first fight is a little bit short time before fight, it’s like four months, three months...it’s not perfect that time but now is better. Close to perfect.”

On whether Bivol was his toughest fight
“If you compare like, yeah, went to decision, yes you can say it’s toughest fight. But it’s a little bit different. I think in my boxing career I (faced) more strong guys but it’s different. But you can say it’s toughest fight.”

On why he refuses to shake hands his opponents during pre-fight build ups
“It’s very simple, you know. Like, for example, we have fight tomorrow night, you want to beat me. You want to punch me hard as you can. Why I give a shake?”

[Coco]

Bert is going to get old one day, prob sooner than Biv, it's amazing he is still at this level at 40

[Boxerbeetle]

I was very confident before the first fight (well, about as confident as possible in a genuinely 50-50 elite level matchup) that Bivol was going to outbox Bert and win a decision. So I'm going to go for the same prediction again, even though I did have Bert nicking it by a round or two last time.

[cormack]

Getting ahead of themselves !

As superb a boxer that Bivol is, it's Beterbiev who brings the excitement.

Who would rather see a trilogy than a fight between, say, Beterbiev v Canelo ?

Bert-Canelo is the fight I most want to see, I've decided

LOL Canelo wont fight Beterbiev

[Ezzard]

Fab fight. P4P top dogs.

I thought Bivol edged it last time. These gusy are pure quality. So glad they're doing it again.

[Coco]

Fab fight. P4P top dogs.

I thought Bivol edged it last time. These gusy are pure quality. So glad they're doing it again.

I only hope that Bert doesn't suddenly get old

Fantastic fight

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Controversial]

SHAKUR STEVENSON: I'M THE BEST FIGHTER ON BETERBIEV-BIVOL CARD, I'M MUST-SEE TV

The Riyadh Season show on February 22 in Saudi Arabia – billed as the “The Last Crescendo” – is being heralded as the greatest boxing fight card ever assembled.

Topping the event is the undisputed light heavyweight title rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. In the co-main event slot, IBF heavyweight titleholder Daniel Dubois defends his belt for the first time against Joseph Parker. Other matchups include Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Israil Madrimov, Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz, and Zhilei Zhang vs. Agit Kabayel.

Preceding the co-main event will be Shakur Stevenson’s WBC lightweight title defense against Floyd Schofield Jr.

Stevenson is confident that he’s the star of the stacked show.

“No disrespect to them guys, but I’m the best fighter [on the card]. I’m what everyone wants to see on that card,” Stevenson said on DAZN’s “On the Ground” series. “A lot of people said they’re not going to wake up at a certain time [to watch the fight] and all that stuff. But everybody is going to be watching that sh-t. Everybody is going to want to see Shakur. A lot of people act like Shakur isn’t must-see TV, but I'm must-see TV. I’m the best fighter in boxing. Everyone wants to see me. Everybody wants to watch me. They’re going to keep paying attention.”

Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) will be making his Matchroom Boxing debut and is fighting for the first time since scoring a unanimous decision against Artem Harutyunyan in July. The Newark, New Jersey native was originally supposed to fight in October against Joe Cordina, but a hand injury derailed his date.

“It’s been a rocky couple of months,” said Stevenson. “It just seems that a lot of people are counting me out. They talk bad about me. They act like I’m not this person that I’ve been my whole life. So, f--- them. Mentally, it starts to bother me but then you start to realize that the only thing that really matters is the people that care about you.”

Stevenson, a three-division champion and The Ring’s No. 3 rated lightweight, is unbothered by the challenges the upstart Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) could present.

“He's a young lion who is hungry and undefeated. Truthfully, I guess you can say there is more to it,” said Stevenson. “This is going to be the best version of me. I think I am going to whoop some ass this year starting with Kid Austin. Hopefully everything will go right so all of my dreams come true.”

Just seen that Schofield has been pulled out and late replacement being sought

[Ruthless-RKO]

[MightyWarrior]

is it the greatest lineup of all time? I don’t know, but definitely right up there - there were some amazing don king ones in the 90s as well, with the likes of Tyson JC Chavez Azumah Nelson etc

The fights are so well matched, there’s a chance that all seven could go the distance. Certainly the main event is odds on to go 12 again, barring injuries, and Buatsi, Ortiz Jr and Shakur very likely will, also DDD might as well ( though i think he stops Joe, but who knows ) there might be a TKO in the Sheeraz and Zhang fights, but again they could go 12…

Of course with boxing, there’s probably gonna be a few shocks here, early stoppages, not sure which ones though.

The main event reminds me of fights like Barrera/Morales and Canelo/Golovkin - P4P kings so evenly matched, that even a trilogy leaves them hard to split, and each fight is quite similar. I hope Artur wins and we get to see him taking on Benevidez in one for the ages. But Bivol is almost an impossible puzzle to solve..slight fave here I guess.

Imagine taking on someone like Beterbiev, who takes you to hell and back, and then wanting to do it again…

[Kilburn]

I’m going to enjoy the build up to these fights on Saturday. Apart from Dubois (and possibly Beterbiev again), I’m not particularly rooting for anyone.

Not all of the fights are bound to deliver, but there’s going to be some very interesting opening rounds to look forward to.

Wishing Padley well of course, if he can even emulate Billy Schwer’s effort against Johnston for this same belt, you’d have to consider that an excellent result.

[JC]

is it the greatest lineup of all time? I don’t know, but definitely right up there - there were some amazing don king ones in the 90s as well, with the likes of Tyson JC Chavez Azumah Nelson etc

The fights are so well matched, there’s a chance that all seven could go the distance. Certainly the main event is odds on to go 12 again, barring injuries, and Buatsi, Ortiz Jr and Shakur very likely will, also DDD might as well ( though i think he stops Joe, but who knows ) there might be a TKO in the Sheeraz and Zhang fights, but again they could go 12…

Of course with boxing, there’s probably gonna be a few shocks here, early stoppages, not sure which ones though.

The main event reminds me of fights like Barrera/Morales and Canelo/Golovkin - P4P kings so evenly matched, that even a trilogy leaves them hard to split, and each fight is quite similar. I hope Artur wins and we get to see him taking on Benevidez in one for the ages. But Bivol is almost an impossible puzzle to solve..slight fave here I guess.

Imagine taking on someone like Beterbiev, who takes you to hell and back, and then wanting to do it again…

Totally agree on all those points (apart from I wouldn't be surprised to see Stevenson stop Padley by TKO or RTD)

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Taansend]

Spencer Brown looks like a Ray Winstone character whose head was squeezed by a vice.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Beterbiev-Bivol II to take place in smaller arena to promote better atmosphere

It seems those at the General Entertainment Authority, headed by Turki Alalshikh, have listened to the dissenting voices that speak of the perceived lack of atmosphere at the Riyadh Season shows in Saudi Arabia and switched this weekend’s ‘Last Crescendo’ event – headlined by the rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol – to a smaller arena.

The first bout, which ended in a tight majority decision win for Beterbiev in October, alongside the two titanic heavyweight encounters between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, took place at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena, a vast space with room for 25,000 fans. That arena was also the setting for the December 2023 card which featured Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder in separate fights, the show topped by Joshua-Francis Ngannou four months later, and the 5 v 5 show, which pitted boxers from Queensberry and Matchroom together, in June. Though the action on display has been largely exciting, many felt that the number of empty seats on display during the live broadcasts did not paint the sport in a particularly inviting light to the outside world.

Thus, the decision has been made to move Beterbiev-Bivol II and its vast undercard to the nearby Venue Riyadh Season, which holds 6,000 fans. The venue has been used for a boxing event once before, in November last year, when Gilberto Ramirez outpointed Chris Billam-Smith in a cruiserweight showdown.

It is understood that the organizers are expecting a sell-out crowd.

[mickey1975]

Tickets were never on sale. I looked out of curiosity but they never showed once.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Jimmy2025]

Tickets were never on sale. I looked out of curiosity but they never showed once.

Perhaps they'll have the VIP area and fill the rest with 5500 guest workers from the Indian Subcontinant and play IPL highlights on the big screens to make them cheer?