Watching two of the perfect fighters on this planet problem themselves in opposition to each other by no means loses its fascination.

That would be the case when Artur Beterbiev rematches Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light-heavyweight world championship on Saturday, stay on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace.

After they first met in October, the 2 had been rival champions, each unbeaten and neither man had ever come near shedding.

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Bivol had handed Mexican famous person Canelo Alvarez a complete defeat in addition to overcoming a litany of different top-class opponents. An skilled mover with excellent footwork, exact timing and correct stern punching, he was – and stays – the right foil for Beterbiev.

Beterbiev had wrecked each skilled opponent he’d confronted, however Bivol turned the primary man to take him the gap after they boxed by means of the course of 12 excellent rounds final yr.

However Bivol did not beat him. He misplaced a majority choice, which divided opinion and left his workforce raging over the end result.

“I nonetheless suppose he received. I felt for 9 rounds he fully dominated the combat,” Eddie Hearn, Bivol’s promoter, instructed Sky Sports activities.

“Then he misplaced 10, 11, 12, which was an issue. He says that he wasn’t 100 per cent final time, which I really like to listen to. And if he’s [this time] I feel it may be a really robust night time for Beterbiev. However it may be a troublesome night time for Bivol. It is a 50-50 combat.

“I felt he received final time. He is acquired to perform a little bit extra and he is acquired to get the crack of the whip with the judges.”

Beterbiev fights with a superb ferocity. He closes down his opponents, controls the place he lets them transfer and unleashes large punches that land with crunching energy.

Bivol cycled by means of his repertoire of abilities within the first combat, however within the closing phases, as the ultimate rounds ticked away, Beterbiev subjected him to a sustained onslaught. Some observers thought he hadn’t received sufficient rounds general – however there was little question about how strongly he completed.

This week in Riyadh Beterbiev has skilled with unrivalled depth, proper as much as the weigh-in for the competition. Even at 40 years of age he’s in very good bodily situation with a level of focus that marks him out as one of many best energetic fighters on this planet right now.

He has little question he deserved the choice within the first combat and is sort of prepared to settle anybody else’s doubts second time round.

“It was an excellent expertise as a result of I received,” Beterbiev instructed Sky Sports activities.

“I didn’t unhealthy,” he added, with an underlying trace of menace. “I must do extra.

“I’ll present you.”

Bivol himself took his first skilled defeat with good grace. However he’s adamant that now he is aware of precisely what he must do to beat his fearsome rival.

“I felt that I did some good job [in the first fight] however I wasn’t too pleased,” Bivol instructed Sky Sports activities. “Nothing stunned me, I used to be anticipating that [from him] and he confirmed what he wished.

“I at all times attempt to suppose that my opponent is the best opponent. He has large excessive stage of pace, the ability, motion, every part, defence, chin – I attempt to consider him that he is one thing unreal. And whenever you’re going within the ring in opposition to a person, a human, you aren’t stunned.

“I feel I do know extra [now] however we’ll see.

“I should be additionally higher than I used to be earlier than.”

‘Every part within the division at stake’

Earlier on the identical card Britain’s Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith combat their very own glorious light-heavyweight contest.

The victor of their bout will maintain the WBO Interim belt, and be in prime place to problem the Beterbiev-Bivol winner subsequent.

Liverpool’s Smith has beforehand shared the ring with each Beterbiev and Bivol. He misplaced a world title problem to Beterbiev a yr in the past, and about 13 years in the past boxed Bivol in a global novice bout.

“I knew he was an excellent fighter then, fairly much like the way in which he fights now, fairly fluent,” Smith recalled of Bivol.

“He is achieved so much and clearly Beterbiev’s the identical.”

Smith added: “Everybody retains occurring about Beterbiev’s age, he cannot go on for ever. I feel the final combat was a troublesome combat for each of them and it will be fascinating to see how a lot that is took out of him.

“I simply suppose as time’s gone on, you have to favour, I feel, [that] Bivol is likely to be that little bit more energizing. However once more, I feel it’s going to be razor tight once more.

“Final time it was an excellent nip-and-tuck combat and I feel we’ll see the identical this time.”

Buatsi needs to proceed his personal unbeaten run and has a eager skilled eye on Beterbiev-Bivol.

“I believed Bivol received the combat. Anything is simply my opinion,” Buatsi instructed Sky Sports activities. “On paper Beterbiev acquired the choice.

“I had Bivol simply edging it,” he added. “It should be an excellent rematch.

“Every part within the division was at stake that night time. So credit score to each of them. They acquired collectively, they did it and so they’re doing it once more.”

The Artur Beterbiev v Dmitry Bivol rematch is stay tonight on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace. Ebook now!