The long-awaited Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol undisputed light heavyweight championship fight is scheduled for June 1 in Saudi Arabia, the president of the Kingdom's General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, announced on “The MMA Hour” on Saturday. .
Beterbiev, the WBO, WBC and IBF champion at 175 pounds, is the No. 1 boxer in ESPN's light heavyweight rankings and No. 7 pound-for-pound.
Bivol, who has a victory over boxing's top star, Canelo Álvarez, holds the WBA title. Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) is ESPN's No. 2 light heavyweight and No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer.
Alalshikh said the previously announced five-fight series between Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing and Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions will take place on the undercard.
Beterbiev, 39, and Bivol, 33, are originally from Russia, although Beterbiev now lives in Quebec. That's where he returned last month with a seventh-round TKO victory over former super middleweight champion Callum Smith, a victory that kept him on a collision course with Bivol.
The victory came in Beterbiev's first action since January 2023, when he scored a seventh-round TKO over Anthony Yarde.
Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is the only boxing champion with a 100% KO ratio.
Bivol, however, holds the most impressive victory between the pair with his May 2022 decision victory over Alvarez. It was a dominant performance that showcased Bivol's elite jab, footwork and ring IQ.
Beterbiev also has an excellent jab and is arguably the most dangerous picker in boxing.
The matchup is among the most anticipated in the history of the light heavyweight division and features a fascinating clash of styles: Bivol is a classic boxer; Beterbiev is a boxer-puncher.
Bivol's last fight was in December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he scored a shutout decision over Lyndon Arthur.
