Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol will do battle once again when they clash in a mouthwatering rematch for the undisputed light heavyweight world championship.
Beterbiev got the nod over fellow modern great Bivol via a majority decision last October following 12 gripping, high-class rounds.
That action demanded a return and Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2 tops the most stacked Riyadh Season card to date. There are a plethora of mouthwatering fights all taking place on the same bill in Saudi Arabia, despite considerable fight week turbulance.
WATCH: Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2, live on DAZN
Daniel Dubois withdrew from his IBF heavyweight title defence against former WBO champion Joseph Parker, who earned his shot through superb victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Parker now faces another formidable test against Martin Bakole.
Chinese giant Zhang is back in action against the undefeated Agit Kabayel, another heavyweight like Parker who has sent his stock soaring through Riyadh Season victories.
American stars Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Shakur Stevenson are in world-title action at super welterweight and lightweight respectively. Israil Madrimov faces up to Ortiz after his narrow loss to Terence Crawford, while Josh Padley comes in to face Stevenson after Floyd Schofield withdrew due to illness.
Callum Smith and Joshua Buatsi get to settle a long-simmering domestic grudge at light heavyweight, while arguably the leading talent of Britain’s next generation, Hamzah Sheeraz will aim to win world honours for the first time when he challenges WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames.
The Sporting News is following the Beterbiev vs. Bivol ‘Last Crescendo’ card live, providing fight updates and results
ROUND-BY-ROUND COMMENTARY: Beterbiev vs. Bivol | Parker vs. Bakole | Shakur vs. Padley | Adames vs. Sheeraz | Ortiz vs. Madrimov | Zhang vs. Kabayel | Buatsi vs. Smith
Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 live updates, highlights, and commentary
Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of the stacked Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2. The repeat-or-revenge showdown for light heavyweight glory tops the ‘Last Crescendo’ card, which is packed with elite world-level action. We’ll be covering all the of the fights listed above round-by-round. Simply click on the link to catch up with your chosen bout before another clash for the ages goes down in the main event.
Mark Robinson/ Matchroom Boxing
WATCH: Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2, live on DAZN
Joshua Buatsi vs. Callum Smith live updates, highlights, and commentary
Round 1: A couple of nice jabs through the guard to start from Buatsi. Smith looks to respond by digging a right uppercut into the body before aiming his signature check left hook. Buatsi looks strong in there, oh and he wobbles Smith with the left hook! Smith down but it’s ruled a slip. Back comes the Scouser with a solid body shot. Both men more than content to trade leather.
SN unofficial scorecard: Buatsi 10-9 Smith
8:25 p.m. KSA/5:25 p.m. GMT/12:25 p.m ET: Here we go, then. Callum Smith making his ringwalk. Almost six-and-a-half years ago, the Liverpudlian claimed his defining victory when he defeated George Groves to win the WBA, WBC “diamond” and Ring Magazine super middleweight titles. Now 34 and back in Saudi Arabia, will his top-level career effectively end tonight against Buatsi, who is undefeated, three years his junior and with nothing like Smith’s professional accomplishments. This would headline any arena in the UK and it’s slightly bizarre it will play out in a half-full, half-invested arena. Smith and Buatsi have always felt like two particularly tunnel-vision competitors, so let’s see how it all plays out. We’re going round-by-round.
8:10 p.m. KSA/5:10 p.m. GMT/12:10 p.m ET: Alakel boxes to a clear points win over Gomez, who had the odd gigantic overhand right in his arsenal but little else. Veteran trainer Joe Gallagher was frequently frustrated with Alakel as he failed to put his foot down at times, but the manner in which the youngster peeled off beautifully timed jabs and uppercuts showed there is obviously talent there for the tougher tests to come.
Next up? 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨 💥 @CallumSmith23 #BeterbievBivol2 | #RiyadhSeason | Feb 22, live NOW on DAZN: Click link in bio to buy | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/gfAA7kEDOI
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) February 22, 2025
7:40 p.m. KSA/4:40 p.m. GMT/11:40 a.m ET: One more bout to come before Smith and Buatsi get to it. Local prospect Mohammed Alakel is expected to go 3-0 as a pro at super featherweight. The rangy 20-year-old is facing Nicaragua’s Engel Gomez, a redoubtable journeyman who has lost 42 of his 53 contests.
7:30 p.m. KSA/4:30 p.m. GMT/11:30 a.m ET: A little bit of a revelation on the DAZN coverage. Lawrence Okolie has just popped on for a stint of expert summarising and the former WBO cruiserweight champion, now campaigning at heavyweight, claims he was offered the opportunity to fight Joseph Parker as Daniel Dubois’ late replacement and accepted the terms on the table before Team Parker opted to go with Martin Bakole. Okolie was over in Dubai this week too, which means he would not have faced the arduous flight schedule Bakole has been forced to grapple with over a remarkable couple of days.
7 p.m. KSA/4 p.m. GMT/11 a.m ET: The first preliminary bout of the evening has just wrapped. Talented Saudi prospect Ziyad Almaayouf is back in the win column after an underwhelming draw last time out. Referee Howard Foster awarded the Buddy McGirt charge all six rounds against journeyman Jonatas Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira and he moves to 7-0-1 (1 KO).
Beefy watches on 👀 @LiamBeefySmith #BuatsiSmith #RiyadhSeason #BeterbievBivol2 pic.twitter.com/mpmsR0eAIO
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) February 22, 2025
6:30 p.m. KSA/3:30 p.m. GMT/10:30 a.m ET: The first title fight of the night comes with the WBO light heavyweight title on the line, but it’s about much more than that. Smith has been Britain’s premier operator at super middle and light heavy for more than half a decade. Buatsi’s pro-career has been a slow burner, frustratingly so at times. But this could prove to be the case of a fighter getting the older man at the right time as Smith drops into his first meaningful bout since a one-sided loss to Beterbiev last January.
Joseph Parker vs. Martin Bakole live updates, highlights and commentary
Parker’s wait for a shot at becoming a two-time heavyweight champion goes on after IBF champion Daniel Dubois’ pullout in fight week. The New Zealander (35-3, 23 KOs) has been one of the stars of the Riyadh Season cards, claiming big wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. He faces another formidable test against late replacement Martin Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs), who was last seen demolishing highly-touted US prospect Jared Anderson.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Josh Padley live updates, highlights and commentary
WBC lightweight champion Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) was set to face fellow American Floyd Schofield before his compatriot pulled out with illness during fight week. It means opportunity knocks for Padley (15-0, 4 KOs), who upset Mark Chamberlain on last September’s Riyadh Season card at Wembley.
Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz live updates, highlights, and commentary
In his second defence of the full WBC middleweight title, Adames runs the risk of being the launchpad for the precociously talented Sheeraz. The 25-year-old Briton is on a scintillating run of 15 consecutive stoppages, although Adames, 30, has won six in succession since his sole career loss to Patrick Teixeira in 2019.
Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Israil Madrimov live updates, highlights, and commentary
Madrimov clearly doesn’t believe in easy work. After pushing pound-for-pound superstar Terence Crawford close on his first venture up to 154 lbs, Madrimov is back in action against the big-punching, thrill-seeking Ortiz. Last time out, Ortiz was taken the distance for the first time and survived two knockdowns to win a majority decision over Serhii Bohachuk, a bout that was named 2024 Fight of the Year by this publication.
Zhilei Zhang. vs. Agit Kabayel live updates, highlights, and commentary
A popular fixture on Riyadh Season cards, Zhang lost to Parker last March despite dropping the New Zealander twice. ‘Big Bang’ is always at risk of being undermined by his sluggish output when fights go the distance but this wasn’t an issue when he rebounded by demolishing the forlorn Deontay Wilder inside five rounds. Kabayel has impressed by getting rid of the dangerous Arslanbek Makhmudov and Frank Sanchez in Saudi. The WBC interim title is up for grabs here and a shot at full world title honours would be due reward for the victor.
Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 full card results
- Artur Beterbiev (c) vs. Dmitry Bivol for the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine light heavyweight titles
- Joseph Parker (c) vs. Martin Bakole for the WBO interim heavyweight title
- Shakur Stevenson (c) vs. Josh Padley for the WBC lightweight title
- Carlos Adames (c) vs. Hamzah Sheeraz for the WBC middleweight title
- Vergil Ortiz (c) vs. Israil Madrimov for the WBC interim super welterweight title
- Zhilei Zhang vs. Agit Kabayel for the vacant WBC interim heavyweight title
- Joshua Buatsi (c) vs. Callum Smith for the WBO interim light heavyweight title
How to watch Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2
The Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2 card is available worldwide on DAZN. The table below lists the pay-per-view prices in some of the major regions.
| Region | Streaming | PPV price |
| USA | DAZN | $25.99 |
| Canada | DAZN | $25.99 |
| UK | DAZN | £19.99 |
| Australia | DAZN | $41.99 |
| India | DAZN | ₹ 2250 |
