Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol LIVE: Fierce rivals face off for eagerly-awaited title fight… after Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke’s bout ends in BRUTAL first-round knockout

The combatants in tonight’s main event make their way to the as excitement reaches fever pitch.

So often has a criticsm been made of boxing that the very best fighters in the world do not put their undefeated records on the line in way seen in eras of old.

In that sense, this is a throwback.

We are about to bare witness to the best fighters of the modern era at 175lbs doing what they do better than anyone.

As Michael Buffer so succinctly puts it, somebodies 0 has got to go.

It’s been a nice nostalgia hit from the musical performances but the reason we’re all here is now just 10 minutes away.

The time in Riyadh is currently 12:45am, and I’m sure the fans in the Arena don’t want to wait one more second before we get to see what promises to be an instant classic.

Bivol has stepped up on the biggest stage before, outclassing fellow pound-for-pound great Canelo Alvarez when he stepped up to light heavyweight in 2022.

Meanwhile not only has Beterbiev defeated every opponent he has faced, but not a single one has even reached the final bell.

Something has got to give here tonight, and in a matter of minutes history will be made.

It’s probably fair to say that of all the changes implemented to boxing events under the Riyadh Season banner, pre-fight concerts are pretty low on the list of excitement as far as fans are concerned.

We’re currently being treated to a firework display followed by musical performances from a host of notable names including Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes.

Ultimately though, we’re here to see two of the best fighters in the world throw down and I think I speak for everyone when I say we just cannot wait for the action inside the ring to get underway.

It looks like we’ll have a little bit of a wait before our historic main event gets underway… with a musical peformance still set to take place before the showdown.

In that case, why not get yourself in the mood for a classic by reading the incomparable Jeff Powell MBE’s fantastic series on the four kings of boxing from the golden era of the sport.

Part one covers one of the most famous clashes in the history of prizefighting as Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard met for the second time with the welterweight title on the line.

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Once again we will see a weight class have its rightful king crowned in Saudi Arabia this year as Beterbiev and Bivol do battle over 12 rounds with undisputed status on the line.

We’ve had a little bit of everything at the Kingdom Arena tonight but what surprises could our main event bring?

After such a massive performance the question on everyone’s mind is who Fabio Wardley will fight next.

The heavyweight divsion is flush with big names at the moment but at 29 Wardley still has time to grow before he is thrown in with the elite of the division.

One clash that could make sense for Wardley is fellow British heavyweight Joe Joyce.

Once tipped for a world title fight, Joyce has lost three of his last four fights and needs a win to keep his career alive.

The juggernaut has repeatedly proven capable of taking big shots, but could Wardley become just the second fighter to finish him inside the distance?

Fabio Wardley just secured the biggest victory of his career in emphatic fashion.

Both men believed they deserved to get the nod following their first clash but there is no doubt about who triumphed here.

The very first significant punch Wardley landed send his opponent reeling into the ropes and from there his finishing instincts were devastating and he left the Olympic medallist crumpled against the ropes.

Their first fight was an instant classic but this one starts somewhat tentatively as both fighters look to find their range.

Huge right hand from Wardley! He swarms in and looks for the finish and Clarke is on the canvas!

Fabio Wardley gets it done in the very first round!

It doesn’t get much bigger than this. The British heavyweight title will be on the line as Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke meet inside the ring once more.

Their first clash in April was one of the most exciting heavyweight contests in recent memory with both men retaining their unbeaten records after the bout was ruled a split draw.

If tonight’s rematch can be even half as exciting as that was, we’re in for a real treat.

Jack Massey had hoped for a fairytale night in Saudi Arabia, but Jai Opetaia shattered those dreams with a commanding performance that forced the Brit’s trainer to throw in the towel.

From the outset, Opetaia took control, dominating the center of the ring and pressuring Massey, who gave up too much ground. Although Massey managed to land a solid right hand to the body, he offered little to trouble the champion in the first round.

In the second round, Opetaia’s powerful right hook quickly put Massey on the defensive, forcing him into the corner. Opetaia’s footwork was sharp, keeping him just out of reach as Massey aimed for body shots but struggled to connect.

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What a performance. Jai Opetaia was utterly dominant en route to retaining his IBF cruiserweight title here.

There is absolutely no doubting Massey’s toughness but the corner made the right call to throw in the towel in the sixth.

It was one-way traffic at that point, Opetaia has rarely looked so dominant inside the ring.

The Aussie has absolutely suffocating pressure, and at 29 only seems to be getting better.

There’s a renewed sense of urgency from Massey here at the mid-point of this 12-round clash but he is still coming off second best when they trade punches.

Opetaia follows up a short left hook to the head with a crushing body shot but Massey remains on his feet.

Massey’s team have thrown in the towel and this is all over!

Opetaia gets a severe talking to from his father inbetween rounds who instructs him to go back to his jab here.

Once again he applies pressure from the opening bell, but manages to avoid smothering his work as the fight continues in a phone booth.

A strong right hand looks to have Massey hurt but the Brit bravely fires back as the referee takes a close look.

Mail Sport scorecard: Opetaia 10 (50)-(45) 9 Massey

The way Opetaia dictates where the fight takes place really is something special…

After Massey again started the round with a good shot, Opetaia quickly resumed his strategy of walking the challenger back towards the ropes.

A suffocating series of punches from Opetaia sees him continue what has been a dominant start to affairs at the Kingdom Arena.

Mail Sport scorecard: Opetaia 10 (40)-(36) 9 Massey

Much better start from Massey here, he commits to trading with an onrushing Opetaia and lands his first solid strike of the contest.

Undeterred, the champion continues to apply educated pressure to force his man to the ropes before landing short shots in close.

Massey is trying to find an opening that could really swing the momentum in his favour but so far at least it has proven elusive.

Mail Sport scorecard: Opetaia 10 (30)-(27) 9 Massey

Massey is traditionally more comfortable on the front foot but he’s being countered when he tries to lead the dance here.

The champion is constantly moving and is presenting a unique challenge with his footwork.

Nice uppecut against the ropes for the Aussie, and he follows it up with a strong southpaw left to the body.

Mail Sport scorecard: Opetaia 10 (20)-(18) 9 Massey

We are now just two fights away from tonight’s main event!

Before then we have an intriguing IBF cruiserweight title clash between defending champion Jai Opetaia and British challenger Jack Massey.

Massey has a serious task on his hands if he is going to upset the odds and hand Opetaia his first defeat here tonight.

After a tentative start from both fighters Opetaia lands the first punch with a strong hook to the body before looking to build on his momentum.

The Brit appears to be finding it difficult to find an opening for his shots as Opetaia keeps him pressed against the ropes.

Mail Sport scorecard: Opetaia 10-9 Massey

Much like his opponent in tonight’s highly-anticipated main event, Artur Beterbiev grew up in a period of economic uncertainty following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Beterbiev’s natural gifts inside the ring quickly became apparent as he took the sport up in his youth, but his focus was forced to shift when his father died in a car crash in 2001.

Again like Bivol, Beterbiev found himself pulled into the world of unsanctioned fighting before his brother intervened to put him on the path to success he has strode down ever since.

Mail Sport’s CHARLOTTE DALY sat down with the unified king earlier this week to chronicle the events that led him to biggest stage of them all.

Click below to read the full interview:

The fight is over and immediately Conor Benn finds his way into the ring.

Both men stare each other down and things get increasingly heated as security anxiously watches on. Could we finally see this All-British showdown of second-generation stars in 2025?

Anyway, back to tonight’s fight.

Eubank was expected to win here but it was important that he did so decisively and he did just that.

For a fighter said to be considering retirement heading in, Szeremeta proved his toughness but ultimately could not cope with Eubank’s accuracy and activity over seven rounds.

There’s certainly no doubting the heart of Kamil Szeremeta as Eubank looks to build on his momentum from round six.

A perfectly placed body shot again puts the former world title challenger to the canvas, but can Eubank find that finishing shot?

Another body shot sees Szeremeta crashing to the canvas and the referee waves it off!

Eubank’s head movement is somethign to behold but the damaging shots we saw in the early rounds are coming less frequently.

Just as I write that, Eubank lands a massive right hand to put his opponent down and starts hunting for the KO.

Szeremeta survives to see round seven… just.

Mail Sport scorecard: Eubank 10 (60)-(52) 8 Szeremeta

Some deep breaths from Szeremeta as we approach the halfway point of this twelve-round contest.

Although, to be fair to him, I can’t imagine many people thought he would’ve made it this far after being dropped in the first 60 seconds.

It’s still mostly one-way traffic in favour of Eubank put the pace has dropped somewhat here in the fifth.

Mail Sport scorecard: Eubank 10 (50)-(44) 9 Szeremeta

A replay between rounds shows the cut above Eubank’s eye was caused by a clash of heads.

Again he comes out searching for a fight-ending shot, becoming almost reckless as he walks forward whilst throwing strikes.

Eubank was warned by his corner to focus on letting the KO punch come by itself but Eubank clearly isn’t interested in taking this one slowly.

It will be interesting if he can keep this pace up if Szeremeta can continue to withstand his output.

Mail Sport scorecard: Eubank 10 (40)-(35) 9 Szeremeta

Eubank really isn’t wasting any time here as he hunts for a finish but it is leaving him open to counters at times.

Even at his best Szeremeta wasn’t known for posessesing fight-ending power but he is getting some shots off despite being a massive underdog.

There is some blood on the face on Eubank as he keeps searching for the uppercut.

Mail Sport scorecard: Eubank 10 (30)-(26) 9 Szeremeta

Eubank is absolutely peperring Szeremeta’s body with hard shots to open the second round.

Will he look to come upstairs with the uppercut as the Pole shells up?

Szeremeta does well to absorb the damage and keeps coming forward but he is completely outgunned here.

Nonetheless some shots are still coming through for the underdog, but can he withstand the beating he is currently taking?

Mail Sport scorecard: Eubank 10 (20)-(17) 9 Szeremeta

Eubank could really do with a statement win here to propel him towards these massive fights that he has his eyes on.

He starts welll boxing behind his jab in the cente of the ring and immediately puts Szeremeta down to the canvas with a well-timed one-two less than a minute in.

It’s one-way traffic so far, Eubank cannot seem to miss.

Szeremeta lands a decent punch as we approach the end of the first.

Mail Sport scorecard: Eubank 10-8 Szeremeta

We said there would be a number of huge names on the undercard and Chris Eubank Jr certainly fits the bill.

The 35-year-old had a viral spat with Conor Benn earlier this week but all eyes for now turn to his fight with Kamil Szeremeta.

Convential wisdom suggests Szeremeta shouldn’t prove too much of a challenge for Eubank but if tonight has proven anything it is that anything can happen inside the ring.

After a controversial finish, regular service has resumed here in Saudi Arabia as Skye Nicholson defeated Raven Chapman with a lopsided decision on the scorecards (99-91, 98-92 x2).

The 29-year-old produced a fautless performance to defend her WBC featherweight title at the Kingdom Arena and maintain her unbeaten record as a professional.

For Nicholson it seems the sky really is the limit.

Liam Cameron speaking on DAZN post-fight:

He didn’t want no more. He were very tired. He give me his last 30 seconds. He had nothing left. Kid was knackered from round two. But look, I definitely beat him. I don’t get a fair share. I got a split decision lost in the last fight. I just had a draw this one. What more do I have to do? I’ve never had a promotional deal in my life, and I tried to do best today to get that win, and I thought I fully deserved it.

Yeah [Whittaker wanted a way out], you could see it on camera. I don’t want to be critical to him, because no one gave me a chance. No one. It wasn’t the Liam Cameron show, I didn’t have no cameras on me, following me, just my small team.

For those who have the ability to compete with the world’s best, boxing has always provided a way out of poverty.

For Dmitry Bivol, who grew up in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan while living in a two-bedroom flat shared by nine people, the lavish world of professional prizefighting he currently occupies could hardly serve as a greater contrast.

The 33-year-old honed his burgeonging talents fighting bare-knuckle on the streets and found pugilism as a way to channel his ability into something producitve.

Mail Sport’s CHARLOTTE DALY sat down with the WBA champion earlier this week to delve into the fascinating events that led him to this point.

Click below to read the full interview:

After Whittaker was unable to continue, the fight goes to a technical decision and is ruled a split draw. (58-57 Whittaker, 58-57 Cameron, 58-58 draw)

Cameron looked like he knew something we didn’t as he celebrated inside the ring but he was quickly brought back down to earth as the scorecards tallied up to a split draw.

It was definitely a close fight but Cameron looked to have done enough to hand Whittaker his first loss.

While he has emerged with his undefeated record in tact, Whittaker looked well below his usual standard here and has a serious task on his hands if a rematch is booked.

Whittaker is unable to continue after the pair fall out of the ring and it looks like the fight will go to the scorecards.

There’s a show of respect between the two fighters as Whittaker continues to receive attention in the corner.

I’m watching the replay and it’s not immediately clear where Whittaker appears to have suffered his injury as he is taken away from the ring in a wheelchair.

Cameron is finding success with a right hand over the top before the bout is briefly halted as Whittaker retrieves his mouthpiece.

We’ve seen so many times where Whittaker finds his rhythm and reaches a flow state but Cameron just isn’t allowing him to here.

Whittaker is warned for hitting low but again Cameron responds with heavy shots in the centre of the ring.

Both fighters career over the top round as the bell sounds to end the round and Whittaker appears to be in extreme discomfort.

Surely the fight wont end like this, will it?

Mail Sport scorecard: Whittaker 9 (47)-(48) 10 Cameron

Experience is such a valuable asset for any fighter, and Cameron is proving capable of bringing the fight to his opponent thus far.

Cameron is given a warning by the referee for pressing with his forearm to break a clinch but immediately resumes his activity.

The former Commonwealth champion is making this fight ugly and finding success getting short shots off on the inside.

Mail Sport scorecard: Whittaker 9 (38)-(38) 10 Cameron

Cameron is once again lively from the opening round but gets stung with a stiff right hand on the counter from Whittaker.

Whittaker’s defence is holding up so far but we’re yet to see the showmanship that has made him so popular.

I think he realises Cameron is providing a much sterner test than many predicted pre-fight.

Mail Sport scorecard: Whittaker 9 (29)-(28) 10 Cameron

The way Whittaker pivots away is really something to behold…

Head shots are proving difficult for the Sheffiled fighter but Cameron is wisely targeting the body as he looks to score some points of his own.

Whittaker lands a swift three-punch combination and stops to admire his work which is met by a decent reply from Cameron.

Better round from the underdog but Whittaker edges it with his activity.

Mail Sport scorecard: Whittaker 10 (20)-(18) 9 Cameron

The first of our ten rounds are underway and Whittaker immediately assumes position in the centre of the ring and begins probing with his jab.

Whittaker clearly possesses a speed advantage here but Cameron is no slouch and remains compact.

He will need to be able to keep his guard tight as Whittaker continues with quick straight punches.

Mail Sport scorecard: Whittaker 10-9 Cameron

Speaking about prospects…

Though his actions inside the ring have proved divisive at times, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who says Ben Whittaker is not a must-watch fighter.

For the uninitiated, Whittaker’s unorthodox style is almost disdainful towards his opponents in manner reminiscent of the famous Prince Naseem Hamed.

Tonight, the Olympic silver medallist faces arguably the toughest test of his pro career as he prepares to take on former Commonwealth champion Liam Cameron.

There’s a second debutant win in our second bout of the night as Mohammed Alakel earns a unanimous victory over Jesus Gonzalez on the judges’ scorecards 40-36.

The Saudi prospect has been honing his skills under the tutelage of esteem tainer Joe Gallagher and earned a raccous reception from the crowd as he entered the Kingdom Arena.

His hard work appears to have paid off as he appeared entirely unphased by the occassion and consistenly outworked his Colombian opponent over four rounds.

There’s clearly still a long way to go for Alakel but if this showing is any indication, he has a bright future ahead of him.

The action tonight is already underway and our first fight saw Marco Maric defeat Christian Lopez Flores by decision.

All three judges gave the Swiss fighter the nod 40-36.

To say it is his first fight as a professional, Maric looked comfortable on the big stage, cutting the ring well and forcing his opponent on to the ropes.

He may have been outgunned but Lopez Flores was a live opponent throughout, and showed why he has proven difficult to finish despite suffering 46 losses in his career.

If there’s thing you can say about the extra-cirriculars involved in these Riyadh season events, no expense is spared when it comes to the promotional side.

Ever wanted to watch two of the world’s most dangerous fighters leading armies into a medieval battle?

Both fighters in tonight’s main event made the 175lb light heavyweight limit on Friday, but Beterbiev had to employ some pretty extreme measures to do so.

The 39-year-old embarked on a three-day liquids-only fast prior to stepping on the scales and told Mail Sport’s JEFF POWELL MBE that he will harness his hunger inside the ring.

Click below to read the full interview:

Welcome to Mail Sport’s coverage of tonight’s light heavyweight showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

For the second time this year the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will play host to an undisputed clash between the consensus two best fighters on the planet in their weight class.

Much like Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk earlier this year, neither Beterbiev nor Bivol have ever tasted defeat in their professional careers and fans will have the chance to bare witness to one of the most stylistically fascinating contests in recent memory.

In what has become something of a theme with these Saudi events, we also have a stacked undercard to look forward to, including a British heavyweight title rematch between Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley.

We’ll have also the latest updates and reaction right here so stick around and get yourself comfy as we prepare for one of the biggest fights of the decade.