The year 2023 has seen boxing’s smaller weight classes deliver some of the sport’s most anticipated bouts, with the likes of Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford clashing, while Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia created a social media frenzy. Now, the focus shifts to the light heavyweight division, where a potential unification bout looms between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.
Dmitry Bivol, the WBA light heavyweight champion, is gearing up for his “Day of Reckoning” fight in Saudi Arabia against Lyndon Arthur, who is currently riding a four-fight win streak. Bivol, who notably defeated Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 2022 and ended his year with a victory over Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, has big plans for 2023. However, his path to unification was initially stalled, in part due to the WBC’s decision to remove Russian fighters from their rankings amid the conflict with Ukraine.
Artur Beterbiev, the reigning WBC, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight champion known for his knockout prowess, holds a significant presence in the division. Despite the potential for a unification bout with Bivol in 2023, it never materialized. Beterbiev, based in Canada, is set to defend his titles against Callum Smith on January 13.
Bivol has expressed his eagerness to face Beterbiev for the WBC title, viewing it as a dream matchup to establish himself as the undisputed champion in the division. The possibility of such a fight happening in Saudi Arabia, which is hosting a mega fight card featuring prominent names like Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder, adds to the intrigue.
Image Credit: Sumio Yamada