All signs are pointing toward an undisputed light heavyweight showdown finally happening later this summer between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. 

The WBA and IBO titlist Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) and WBC, WBO, and IBF champion Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) have been on a collision course for a clash for years, and it appears the matchup will finally cross the negotiations finish line once Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, funds the fight. 

Both fighters held up to their end of the bargain by remaining victorious in their recent bouts. 

Bivol easily dismantled Lyndon Arthur with a unanimous decision win on Dec. 23. Beterbiev scored a seventh-round stoppage win against Callum Smith on Jan. 13.

“I wasn’t surprised too much to be honest [by Beterbiev's performance against Smith]. Beterbiev was as good as I expected him to be against Smith. I didn’t see something new. He was powerful as before, and he did his job well,” Bivol said on the Matchroom Boxing YouTube channel. “I thought he would win. I didn't have any expectations how he would win. I felt that he should win. I wasn't surprised how he won. He did his job well.”

Bivol’s career-best win came in 2022 when he defeated Canelo Alvarez. Bivol also beat Gilberto Ramirez that year to win fighter of the year honors. Bivol believes Beterbiev will be a tougher task than Alvarez once they eventually fight. 

"To be honest I believe [Beterbiev is] my hardest test,” said Bivol. “He's physically stronger than Canelo Alvarez and he has good technique too. Many people talk about his power, but they forget about his technique because his power is so much better than his technique, but his technique is still good.

“He's very strong. He's like a stone. His punches are very hard. His body is hard. He believes in himself a lot. He has a lot of amateur experience. It helps him. He uses body shots well. He's strong. This is one of the important things. 

"I like smart boxing. I want to believe that I'll show this boxing to the people [against Beterbiev] and it should be better than power or than just speed. I hope these skills should win. I hope I have enough skills to win this fight.

“I need to create as many moments as I can to make him uncomfortable.”

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.