Dmitry Bivol Makes Major Announcement at Fury vs. Ngannou as He Eyes Artur Beterbiev Fight in Saudi

Earlier this year, the boxing world was buzzing with excitement as Artur Beterbiev and Dimitry Bivol appeared all set to face one another. However, their hopes were soon dashed as the highly anticipated clash between the two light heavyweights couldn’t materialize. At the time, Bivol’s manager Vadim Kornilov stated that the money for the fight wasn’t “serious enough”.

Moreover, Bob Arum announced that the fight would not be happening because of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Many had predicted that the fight wouldn’t take place in order to pave the way for a Bivol-Canelo Alvarez rematch. But even that fight couldn’t take place due to disagreements. However, it seems that the flames of war between the two have once again reignited. Bivol appears to be ready to finally have a go at Beterbiev.

Rivalry flares up a night before Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou

The night before the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou fight, the Champions Gala dinner drew soccer icons and music celebrities alongside prominent figures from the boxing world. Among the boxing personalities at the event, Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev were notable attendees. They exchanged greetings and engaged in a brief face-off, the cameras quickly captured the moment for the fans to witness.

Since then the news has gone viral on social media capturing the attention of the fans. Recently, Bivol did an interview with DAZN Boxing, the clip of which soon surfaced on social media. In the video, the interviewer asked Bivol, “I saw you yesterday do a stare-down for fun obviously with Beterbiev. Is that the fight we’re gonna see in 2024?”. To this Bivol replied, “I hope, I hope, we’ll make this fight maybe here because I know people want this fight.” Coupled with the face-off, this statement once again has ignited the hopes of the historic bout for the undisputed light heavyweight title in the fans’ hearts.

Artur Beterbiev doesn’t believe Dimitry Bivol

IBF/WBC/WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev doubts Dmitry Bivol’s genuine interest in a bout for the undisputed title. In a recent interview, Beterbiev recalled Bivol expressing his desire to fight in the past but never following through. This has led Beterbiev to believe that Bivol is avoiding a clash with him. Bivol recently mentioned his intention to fight in December and then face the victor of Beterbiev’s January 13th bout against WBC mandatory Callum Smith. However, the WBC’s reluctance to sanction the match due to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict may pose a challenge.

Beterbiev, at 38, understands he can’t afford to wait indefinitely as age catches up, increasing the risk of a loss. In his last fight, Beterbiev struggled against Anthony Yarde, trailing before the eighth-round stoppage. Some believe Yarde might have won, had it not been for his stamina issues. He stated, “He said like this two or three years ago that he wants to fight me next, but he never fought me. He’s a liar.” Moreover, when asked if he desires a clash with Bivol, Beterbiev simply responded, “I need only one thing from him: a belt, and that’s it.”

Read More: “Give Us Bivol vs Beterbiev”: Dmitry Bivol’s Latest Training Video Leads Fans to Demand “The Master vs the Monster”

Overall, it seems that the fight’s fate is still up in the air. If the fight indeed gets made it will surely be interesting to watch. What are your thoughts about the potential fight between the champions? Do share your thoughts in the comments.

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