Dmitry Bivol will face Artur Beterbiev in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 12th October in a light heavyweight supremacy contest.
The two sparred with comments of respect and challenge on Thursday in a pre-fight press conference Riyadh.
“Artur ss a great champion, he has what I want, he has belts. It’s not only about belts. When I look at his skills I want to check my skills also against this amazing fighter,” said Bivol.
Beterbiev promised to ‘finish’ Bivol in the ring during a tense exchange of words with the opponent’s promoter Eddie Hearn.
“Yeah..be ready, I will too,” he later said to Bivol when asked for a final message to the Russian.
Beterbiev currently holds three of the available belts – the WBC, WBO and IBF light-heavyweights – while the fourth belongs to Bivol.
In total, they have amassed 43 professional fights and both are unbeaten and without a draw.
It’s hard to argue against the significance of this bout when it happens.
The contest was originally set for June, but Beterbiev had to postpone it due to a knee injury.
Beterbiev, WBC, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight champion
Do you predict you will knock him out?
“But I mean, I can’t give you an answer because I never predict, I never did prediction for my last fights and for future (fights). I never did that. “
But he seems so confident that he’s going to be the one to end that?
“Okay, we’ll see. “
“Of course it’s exciting, but I’m more focussed for preparing. You know, it’s like I try to do preference, you know? Like what is more important or what is not? It’s everything good, I’m really, really happy to be part of Riyadh season, be here. I’m never (thinking only) dreaming (that) I have fight in Saudi Arabia, you know, It’s very nice. Everything very good. “
Beterbiev, WBC, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight champion
What are you going to change this time round?
“I can’t give you details because it’s our team’s secret. You know, we have some different things, different things to do. You will see on Saturday night. “
“It gets me excited that I’m going to fight against this great fighter with 100% KO. And I want to be the first guy who will beat him. “
(Fighting in Saudi Arabia):
“It’s a dream, you know, dream fight. It helps me, it helps me to be appreciate to God, to everybody in the world, to Saudi, to His (Highness) Shaikh Khalid, that he made this fight. If it’s not him, it wouldn’t happen. And I’m so happy that I have this fight and it makes me more excited. “
What did you learn from the press conference?
“I didn’t learn anything today, but I was watching his fight, so I know how he’s fighting and, now it’s just interesting for me how I will deal with this guy. “
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