Rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol 'almost over the line' for February
A rematch of one of the best fights of 2024 is on tap for February 2025.
The unified light heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev, who holds all four belts, and former WBA champion Dmitry Bivol is likely headed to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in what will be a rerun of their terrific October clash, which Beterbiev won by a majority decision.
Bivol felt he had done enough, but was pipped on the scorecards 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114.
Beterbiev, who turns 40 on January 21, is 21-0 (20 KOs), and Bivol became the first man to take Beterbiev the distance.
Bivol is 23-1 (12 KOs) and multiple sources are reporting the fight is almost set for February 22, with one telling BoxingScene: “It’s almost over the line.”
It had been thought that both boxers may take interim bouts before meeting again, but the time could be now with speculation about a huge Saudi card to feature the WBO eliminator between Jack Catterall-Arnold Barboza and the WBC middleweight title bout between Carlos Adames and Hamzah Sheeraz.
Tris Dixon covered his first amateur boxing fight in 1996. The former editor of Boxing News, he has written for a number of international publications and newspapers, including GQ and Men’s Health, and is a board member for the Ringside Charitable Trust and the Ring of Brotherhood. He has been a broadcaster for TNT Sports and hosts the popular “Boxing Life Stories” podcast. Dixon is a British Boxing Hall of Famer, an International Boxing Hall of Fame elector, a BWAA award winner, and is the author of five boxing books, including “Damage: The Untold Story of Brain Trauma in Boxing” (shortlisted for the William Hill Sportsbook of the Year), “Warrior: A Champion’s Search for His Identity” (shortlisted for the Sunday Times International Sportsbook of the Year) and “The Road to Nowhere: A Journey Through Boxing’s Wastelands.” You can reach him @trisdixon on X and Instagram.
