Bivol And Beterbiev Choose Russia – Here’s Why?

Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev have reportedly chosen to have their trilogy fight in Russia, as opposed to Saudi Arabia. 

The pair are expected to run things back, subject to a venue being announced. The rivalry stands at 1-1 after Bivol won the first fight via a majority decision to even things up. It was a reversal of the first result, which Beterbiev won by the same decision, as both men became the Undisputed Light Heavyweight Champions.

This time around, all the belts are not on the line after Bivol vacated his WBC title rather than face David Benavidez. Bivol could also vacate his IBF belt after he was ordered to face his mandatory Michael Eifert. The first two fights took place in Saudi, earning both men the biggest purses of their careers. This time, they want to run things back in Russia, as we look at the possible reasons for doing so. 

Why Russia?

The fight in Russia could earn them more money, with reports the organizers have promised the two “lucrative paydays” for the trilogy fight. There is also a large domestic fight on offer. Bivol (Kyrgyz-Russian) and Beterbiev (Chechen-Russian) have strong ties to Russia, with Russian promoters and the government might be willing to invest heavily to host such a significant event on home soil. 

The pair will also have the chance to secure a home crowd for their side. The Saudis have been criticized for the atmosphere, with many of the events being attended by big celebrities who may not be the most ardent of boxing fans. Given how close the first two fights were, a home crowd could prove decisive. And with the pair having achieved everything at 175, this would be another milestone to cap things off. Regardless, Beterbiev wants it to happen as soon as possible.

“The day after the first fight, we agreed on a rematch, which was to take place within four months, despite the fact that I was after the operation, and my coach and doctor were categorically against such an early rematch. After the second fight, I immediately showed interest in an early third fight, and at first there were rumors about the fight in August, but my opponent [Bivol] said in an interview that he wanted to hold it in late autumn, then – at the end of the year, and now – it is completely unknown when. “Dima, how old do I have to be so that we can fight for the third time?,” Beterbiev said