Beterbiev and Bivol confirm rematch for undisputed light heavyweight title

In February 2025, Artur Beterbiev will face Dmitry Bivol in a highly anticipated rematch for the undisputed world light heavyweight championship. This match follows their first encounter in October 2024, where Beterbiev secured a narrow majority decision victory over Bivol in a bout that many criticized due to controversial scoring. The aftermath of the fight saw Bivol's camp expressing outrage over the judges' scores, claiming that one judge's score of 116-112 was unjust and that their fighter had been robbed. This led to promises of filing a protest against the decision, highlighting ongoing concerns about judging in boxing. The rematch, dubbed 'The Last Crescendo', will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of Riyadh Season, which aims to showcase the best of boxing in an exciting night that will feature a star-studded undercard. In addition to the main event, showcasing heavyweight matchups, the card will include fighters such as Daniel Dubois, who will defend his IBF world heavyweight championship against Joseph Parker, and Vergil Ortiz Jr. will challenge Israil Madrimov for the WBC world interim super welterweight title. Despite the hype surrounding this event, there have been no female bouts scheduled to take place on the card. With seven titles on the line, this event is being regarded as potentially the best boxing card of all time, setting the stage for both Beterbiev and Bivol to prove their worth and settle their rivalry once and for all.