Beterbiev vs Bivol 2: The Last Crescendo Full Card Preview and Predictions
The latest offering out of Saudi Arabia, courtesy of Riyadh Season, is a card that eclipses anything HE Turki Alalshikh has produced to date, and quite possibly any card produced by any promoter in Boxing, ever.
Made up of 7 fights, all 7 of those involving a world title, 10 pieces of silverware on the line and an Undisputed rematch on top of the card between two of the best boxers in the world at the moment, The Last Crescendo has everything one could need from a boxing card. The Kingdom Arena will once again play host to a historic card in the nation's capital of Riyadh, this time on Saturday 22nd February.
As Matchroom Boxing Promoter Eddie Hearn summed it up at the launch presser for the event:
"This isn't the card of the year.”
"It's not even the card of the decade. This is unequivocally the greatest card we have ever seen in the sport."
The Main Event
Artur Beterbiev narrowly got the better of the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight Title clash versus Dmitry Bivol in October last year, and four months later the two have fortunately, and admirably, agreed to continue as they left off. 115-113, 116-112 and 114-114 were the scores on the night, with a number of fans, boxers, pundits and promoters disagreeing with who came out on top.
One thing that was collectively agreed upon, however, was that it was a highly skilful and impressive matchup between, as mentioned, two of the very best. The questions existed prior to the first fight as to whether Beterbiev would be too powerful for Bivol, or Bivol too skilful for Beterbiev, and really after 12 close rounds, we are no closer to an answer.
The current Undisputed champion Artur Beterbiev (21-0-0) remains unbeaten after the test, with his opposite man the only fighter to go the distance with the 40-year-old. Despite his age, the Canadian-based Russian is showing no signs of slowing down, recently recovering from a ruptured meniscus and still carrying the same dangerous power.
Bivol, meanwhile, is the perfect example of the traditional Soviet boxer, unbelievably skilled, armed with an arsenal of clever punches and inch-perfect distance control. Many had the skilled Russian winning the first fight and therefore will have him down as a favourite in this fight.
The Co-Main Event
Heavyweight World Title fights are nearly always reserved for the very top of any bill, the creme de la creme, the summit of the sport, as the main events of the biggest cards globally. And yet on Saturday night in Riyadh, we will get to see Daniel Dubois defend his IBF World Heavyweight Title against Joseph Parker, with the excitement of the Undisputed clash still to come.
Daniel Dubois (22-2-0) has been on a streak of red-hot form since his controversial stoppage loss performance against two-weight Undisputed Champion Oleksander Usyk, Jarell Miller... stopped, Filip Hrgovic... dispatched and Anthony Joshua... dismantled. A relatively young Heavyweight at just 27 years of age Dubois has a chance to get himself vengeance for his loss against Usyk in Poland if he can get through this test.
Joseph Parker (35-3-0), similarly, has had a career resurgence after being on the wrong side of three results in his career, decision losses against Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, and a KO loss to Joe Joyce in 2022. The key to the comeback has been being active, in which time he picked up wins versus Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang in Saudi Arabia.
As the champion Daniel Dubois has to remain the favourite but a number of boxing fans and figures give Parker a strong chance for an upset.
The Undercard
Hamzah Sheeraz (21-0-0) looks to be one of the most improved fighters over the last couple of years, and as a Riyadh Season ambassador has engineered himself an opportunity of a first World Title. The huge Middleweight boats an impressive 17 KOs and comes off the back of a 2nd Round demolition of the European Champion Tyler Denny at Wembley.
In his way stands WBC champion Carlos Adames (24-1-0), the Dominican Middleweight who defended his title last year against Terrell Gausha in Vegas and holds a 75% KO rate. The 30-year-old will have to overcome a 4-inch height difference to overcome the Queensberry 25-year-old.
Next up on the card is Vergil Ortiz Jr (22-0-0) who earned himself the WBC Interim World Title at Super Welterweight after an impressive win over Serhii Bohachuk last year, despite hitting the canvas on two occasions. The 26-year-old has stopped every opponent in his career other than the durable Ukranian last time out and will be looking to continue where his 21-fight stoppage streak ended.
Uzbekistan and Matchroom's Israil Madrimov (10-1-1) will be looking to hand Ortiz Jr. his first loss however, coming off the back of a 1-2 round loss to pound-for-pound great and three-division Champion Terence 'Bud' Crawford. The former WBA Champion is one-for-one in the Kingdom with a 5th-round TKO of Magomed Kurbanov on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou in March last year.
Also fighting is Shakur Stevenson (22-0-0), who was scheduled to make his Riyadh Season debut last year against Wales' Joe Cordina, but unfortunately, the fight was cancelled due to a hand injury for Stevenson. The defence-first WBC Lightweight World Champion is now under the promotional guidance of Eddie Hearn for the first time in this fight.
Looking to upset the apple cart is fellow unbeaten American Floyd Schofield. At just 22 years of age, this is Schofield's first World Title fight and only second 12-rounder over in Riyadh, and the odds certainly are not in his favour against one of the very best in the division.
Another heavyweight clash is taking place on this card, this time between China's Zhilei Zhang (27-2-1) and the German Agit Kabayel (25-0-0) for the WBC Interim Heavyweight Title. 'Big Bang' Zhang is a heavyweight renowned for exactly what his name says he does, with knockout wins over Deontay Wilder and Joe Joyce among others.
Kabayel meanwhile has recently made a name for himself as a bit of a giant slayer, beating man mountain Arslanbek Makhmudov and Cuban Frank Sanchez on Riyadh Season shows. With a still unbeaten record, the 32-year-old has crept his way up the Heavyweight division and will be hoping to put himself one shot closer to a World Title clash.
And to finish off the bill is a fight that would main event any show on UK shores, WBO interim World Champion Joshua Buatsi (19-0-0) versus former WBA and Ring Magazine World Champion Callum Smith (30-2-0). Buatsi has pushed aside impressive domestic fighters in Craig Richards, Dan Azeez and Willy Hutchinson in order to place himself in line for a shot at a World Title.
Callum Smith meanwhile has already tasted gold and held a World belt, losing only to Saul Canelo Alvarez and the Undisputed Champion Artur Beterbiev, no shame in either loss there. The youngest of the four Smith brothers, Callum will be hoping to continue his journey at Light-Heavyweight and pick up his first title at the weight.
Predictions
Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith - Light Heavyweight (12x3) - Buatsi Decision
Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel - Heavyweight (12x3) - Kabayel Decision
Shakur Stevenson vs Floyd Schofield - Lightweight (12x3) - Stevenson Decision
Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs Israil Madrimov - Super Welterweight (12x3) - Madrimov Stoppage
Carlos Adamez vs Hamzah Sheeraz - Middleweight (12x3) - Sheeraz Stoppage
Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker - Heavyweight (12x3) - Parker Decision
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol - Light Heavyweight (12x3) - Bivol Decision