Artur Beterbiev v Dmitry Bivol - Tale of the Tape: Weight, height, reach, trainer & professional boxing records

We analyse the profile and attributes of Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol as the pair prepare to battle it out for undisputed status in a hotly anticipated bout in the light-heavyweight division in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Undisputed world title fights are a bit like buses at the moment. You wait for one to come along and then two arrive at once. Fans were once starved of winner-take-all fights but Turki Alalshikh has ensured that is no longer the case.

On 12th October 2024, the light-heavyweight division will crown an undisputed champion when Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol finally collide after years of avoiding one another.

But who will win this 50-50 clash of styles? Let’s take a look at the Tale of the Tape.

Artur Beterbiev v Dmitry Bivol
Tale of the Tape

	Artur Beterbiev	Dmitry Bivol
Age	39	33
Height	5ft 11½ ins	6ft
Reach	73 ins	72 ins
Weight	Light-heavyweight	Light-heavyweight
Trainer	Marc Ramsay	Gennadiy Mashyanov
Record	20-0 (20 KOs)	23-0 (12 KOs)
Last fight	W - TKO (R7) v Callum Smith (Jan 2024)	W - TKO (R6) v Malik Zinad (Jun 2024)

Artur Beterbiev
In Profile

Artur Beterbiev is arguably the most menacing and destructive light-heavyweight of all-time.

The Russian is a man of few words but his language in the ring gets to the point very quickly. Occasionally a slow starter, Beterbiev jumped on Callum Smith early in his last fight. The first bell had just rung and the unified champion was immediately in the Brit’s face suffocating him with pressure and punches.

The seventh round stoppage win was a message from Beterbiev to anyone choosing to write him off. Smith was fancied to be a live underdog because of his power, reach and height but Beterbiev chewed him up and spat him out in one of his best performances to date.

On 12th October, however, his heavy metal boxing will need to trap the classical boxing from Bivol. The WBA champion is balletic in his movement and will not be foolish enough to stand and trade with the far more powerful Beterbiev.

However, Beterbiev is more than just a wrecking machine. His own amateur pedigree stands up against anyone’s at present and his boxing IQ is vastly underrated. His closing of distance for example is reminiscent of Gennadiy Golovkin.

Given Bivol possesses the movement to not be in the spot Beterbiev will want him, this fight promises to be a fascinating spectacle.

Strengths:	Weaknesses:
Reputation	Lot of mileage
Power	Cuts
Closing the distance	Defence
Ruhtlessness	Chin

Dmitry Bivol
In Profile

Even before Bivol outclassed the over-confident Canelo Alvarez in 2022 he was already regarded as one of the best boxers in the world. Obviously, his star power was and is not the same as the Mexican but his domination over Canelo was further evidence that his ring craft operates on a different level to most.

However, unlike Beterbiev who brings blood and thunder to the table, Bivol keeps it simple and isn’t always the most entertaining to sit and watch for the paying public.

Beating Beterbiev would not only make Bivol undisputed, it will make him the man who brought down one of the most fearsome fighting machines the boxing world has ever seen.

Bivol’s movement, footwork, hand speed and ring mastery have barely been troubled in his 10-year career. He will need all of these attributes and more to beat Beterbiev who has a 12-round engine and the ability to ignore cuts, pain and blood to win.

Bivol and Beterbiev are both facing their toughest test and for it to come around in a bout for all four world titles makes it one of the fights of the year before a punch has been thrown.

Strengths:	Weaknesses:
Timing	Knockout power
Footwork	Fights to the level of his opponent at times
Exquisite puncher	Doesn't follow up successful attacks
Coordination	Reverts to amateur style