Former foe fears for Artur Beterbiev's chances in a third fight with Dmitry Bivol

LONDON – Artur Beterbiev’s former foe Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic has questioned what the 41-year-old has left with a reported trilogy with Dmitry Bivol in the works.

Beterbiev and Bivol battled it out in two razor close contests back in 2024 and 2025 for the undisputed light-heavyweight title. Beterbiev won the first, while Bivol claimed the rematch. A trilogy was expected to then be swiftly completed but with injuries and politics cropping up, we are still waiting.

There are reports that Beterbiev and Bivol could finally meet in a rubber match in Spring 2027. Beterbiev would be 42 years old by then, and out of the ring for more than two years.

Kalajdzic, who will face England’s Craig Richards this Saturday in London, England, fought Beterbiev when the Russian was at his frightening best back in 2019, being stopped in five rounds. The American believes that Berterbiev’s aggressive style will not age well and will struggle should he fight Bivol in a trilogy next year.

“If he was like a boxer, he could kind of slow the pace down and move and box, but he's a pressure fighter and he needs to be throwing punches and coming at you the whole fight,” Kalajdzic told BoxingScene. “So I don't know if he's going to be able to do that at his age.

“If he was like a Terence Crawford or a Floyd Mayweather Jnr, you know you can slow the pace down, you can move, box. But he's non-stop, so will he be able to do that at 42? I don't know. We'll see.”

Kalajdzic, however, was still full of praise for his former opponent and sparring partner.

“Beterbiev is the best fighter I've fought,” he said. “To me, he didn't really hit that hard, like super, he doesn't have that one-punch knockout power, but he just wears you down eventually. He's in your face and every punch is hard but not knockout power. He just drains your energy, round by round. Even in sparring, he's in your face the whole time, and just him being there, it's very hard to deal with.”