Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol reconvene four months after their historic first fight which saw Beterbiev become the undisputed light heavyweight king. The duo returns to the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this Saturday for their second meeting. Bivol, on the other hand, will be determined to avenge the loss and win all four major straps of the division. Here’s our Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2 prediction.
Tale of the tape
Beterbiev is the man to beat in the global light-heavyweight boxing scene. He has won all of the 21 fights he has been in so far, and only once has he failed to win via knockout.
The IBF belt was the first in Beterbiev’s collection. A late knockout victory against Enrico Kolling in 2017 made him world champion for the first time in his career. In his third defence of the belt, The Rabbit became the owner of the WBC belt two years later, thanks to a TKO win against Oleksandr Gvozdyk. Beterbiev added the WBC belt to his cabinet with a swift TKO of Joe Smith Jr. in 2022. Last year, he picked up a majority decision win against Bivol to complete his haul.
Bivol brings a near flawless record of 23-1 to this bout, but his only loss was against Beterbiev, when the duo fought in October, 2024. 12 of his victims fell to knockouts.
The Russian has beaten some incredible boxers throughout his career. Before losing to his fellow countryman Beterbiev, Bivol won against the likes of Gilberto Ramirez, Canelo Alvarez, Lenin Castillo, Joe Smith, Jean Pascal, Isaac Chilemba, Sullivan Barrera, and Cedric Agnew. He held the WBA belt for eight years before losing it to Beterbiev.
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2 hot tip: Bivol to win
Since Beterbiev won the original fight and is the undisputed light heavyweight king right now, he walks into this battle as the favourite. Picking up successive wins against a boxer of Bivol’s calibre will be easier said than done, however. We must remember that Bivol is the only opponent Beterbiev has faced so far who took the fight the distance.
Bivol convinced some judges that he won the fight, but Beterbiev swayed the majority by perfectly playing the matador to Bivol’s bullish approach. Replicating that success will be a big challenge, however, as Bivol’s camp must have analysed how Beterbiev managed to grind out the win and prepared countermeasures accordingly.
Beterbiev is not getting any younger at 40, so Bivol, who is six years younger, will sense a genuine shot at redemption here. We are backing Bivol to win this highly anticipated rematch.
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2: Key stats
- Beterbiev is the better puncher with a knockout ratio of 95 percent. Bivol (52 percent) has a far modest knockout ratio in comparison.
- Beterbiev has a one inch reach advantage.
- Bivol has fought 202 rounds of professional boxing, while Beterbiev has fought only 110.
Fight odds and win probability
Here are the current Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2 odds:
Artur Beterbiev: 8/11 (1.73) – Implied probability 57.9%
Dmitry Bivol: 6/5 (2.20) – Implied probability 45.5%
*Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2 betting odds from Boylesports, subject to change.
Keys to victory
Beterbiev and Bivol can’t claim that their first fight lived up to the billing, but it was a close one indeed. With so much at stake, both boxers were more cautious, but we might see more flair in this one since Bivol will be determined to not return empty-handed once again. Here’s how both boxers can claim the bragging rights.
Artur Beterbiev – Controlled aggression
Artur Beterbiev can come in as a wrecking ball, but sheer power will not be enough against a versatile boxer like Bivol. He understood the assignment in the first fight between these two and amplified the intensity as the fight progressed. Beterbiev did not allow Bivol to take advantage of his aggression and exploit sudden openings.
Bivol will do his homework, but if Beterbiev can execute his original plan to perfection once again, he can hope to get the result.
Dmitry Bivol – Superior agility
Bivol is the livelier fighter in this match-up. His nimble footwork frustrated Beterbiev for prolonged periods in the previous fight. If he can move around inside the ring and control the distance with more authority, it could spell trouble for the defender. The plan here is to outwork Beterbiev without taking unnecessary risks.
Fish for defensive lapses and avoid getting dragged into a brawl—if Bivol sticks to this approach until the final bell, he could win.
Bren is our resident Kiwi, and has been playing or watching sports down under in New Zealand for the better part of three decades. With 12+ years experience as a professional writer, Bren loves to dive deep into all things sport to bring the best betting analysis and predictions here at Mr Fixits Tips.
