Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2: Boxing Rematch Preview and Predictions

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The boxing world is abuzz with excitement as Artur Beterbiev prepares to defend his undisputed light heavyweight title against Dmitry Bivol in a highly anticipated rematch on February 22, 2025, at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight card, dubbed "The Last Crescendo," features seven title fights, including the main event between Beterbiev and Bivol. The two fighters first met in October 2024, with Beterbiev emerging victorious by majority decision to become the first undisputed light heavyweight champion since Roy Jones Jr.

The co-main event of the Beterbiev vs. Bivol card was initially scheduled to feature Daniel Dubois vs. Joseph Parker for Dubois' IBF title. However, Parker fell ill on Thursday and was pulled from the fight, replaced by Martin Bakole, who is the No. 2 fighter in the WBO rankings. Another title fight on the card features Shakur Stevenson defending his WBC lightweight title against Josh Padley, who stepped in after Floyd Schofield withdrew from the fight due to illness. The card also includes other notable title fights, such as Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz for Adames' WBC middleweight title and Vergil Ortiz Jr vs. Israil Madrimov for Ortiz Jr's WBC world interim super welterweight title. The list of title fights on the card is as follows:

• Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol for the Undisputed light heavyweight title
• Joseph Parker vs. Martin Bakole for Parker's WBO interim heavyweight title
• Shakur Stevenson vs. Josh Padley for Stevenson's WBC lightweight title
• Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz for Adames' WBC middleweight title
• Vergil Ortiz Jr vs. Israil Madrimov for Ortiz Jr's WBC world interim super welterweight title
• Zhilei Zhang vs. Agit Kabayel for the vacant WBC interim heavyweight title
• Joshua Buatsi vs. Callum Smith for Buatsi's WBO light heavyweight interim title

Beterbiev, who is now 40 years old, has been a world champion since 2017 and has held at least one of the belts for over seven years. He is known for his aggressive fighting style and his ability to finish fights with devastating knockouts. Bivol, on the other hand, is a skilled boxer who has been more effective in his fights, landing a higher percentage of punches and displaying excellent defensive skills. The numbers behind their first fight are telling, with Bivol landing more punches and being more effective, but ultimately losing by majority decision.

As the rematch approaches, both fighters have promised to make adjustments to their strategies. Bivol has vowed to throw more punches, while Beterbiev has promised to improve his movement and body work. The fight is expected to be a closely contested and exciting matchup, with many experts predicting a narrow victory for either fighter. The winner of the fight could potentially face other top contenders in the light heavyweight division, such as David Benavidez or Oleksandr Usyk.

The Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2 fight card will be available to stream on DAZN Pay-Per-View, with a start time of 1 p.m. ET. The event is expected to be one of the biggest boxing events of the year, with a talented lineup of fighters and a highly anticipated main event. Fans can expect an exciting and action-packed night of boxing, with several title fights and a potential fight of the year candidate in the main event.