In less than a week, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, one of the most exciting and prestigious boxing events of recent decades will take place. The main event of the evening will be the highly anticipated rematch between Russian light heavyweights Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol, with all four world titles on the line. Currently, the four belts belong to Beterbiev, who emerged victorious from their thrilling first encounter last October via a Majority Decision that sparked heated debates. We reached out to 18 key figures in Italian boxing history to gather their predictions for this highly anticipated showdown. Here’s what they had to say!
Vincenzo Belcastro, former European champion: Bivol on points
The first fight was very close; in my opinion, a draw would have been fair. I think in the rematch, Bivol—whom I personally prefer—will set a higher pace and be more aggressive, making it clearer to the judges (assuming they are impartial) that he deserves the win. I find it unlikely that either fighter will secure a stoppage victory.
Stefania Bianchini, former WBC and European champion: Bivol
I would have given the first fight to Bivol. He dominated for long stretches, even though he had a rough moment at the end, which Beterbiev didn’t fully capitalize on. I was surprised by the decision, as I didn’t expect the judges to favor Beterbiev. That’s why I believe and hope Bivol will win the rematch.
Leonard Bundu, former European champion: Bivol
In the first fight, Beterbiev’s greater aggression was rewarded. He kept constant pressure on his opponent and finished strong, despite being less precise. Bivol landed the cleaner, more effective shots but was too passive.
In this rematch, the key question is whether Bivol will show more determination and a greater willingness to endure, because Beterbiev will once again apply relentless pressure. Technically, we already know Bivol is skilled enough to control the fight, but he must stay active and never let up—which isn’t easy against a beast like Beterbiev.
I’m torn on the prediction; this fight could go either way. But I’ll give Bivol a slight edge, believing he has learned from the first fight and can reverse the outcome in this rematch.
Roberto Cammarelle, Olympic gold medalist: Bivol
Personally, I found the first decision fair. Beterbiev was more consistent in his offense, applied more pressure, and won all the close rounds. Bivol landed higher-quality punches, hoping that would be enough to secure rounds, but even he admitted he wasn’t effective enough.
In the rematch, Bivol must adjust his strategy, avoiding Beterbiev’s counters more effectively. Often, the best defense is a good offense, but that would mean fighting on Beterbiev’s terms. I’ll pick Bivol, hoping to see a third fight!
Francesco Damiani, former WBO and European champion, Olympic silver medalist: Beterbiev
This is shaping up to be a very close fight, as both Russian boxers are highly skilled. Beterbiev has more power—when he lands, his opponent feels it—while Bivol is more technical and mobile.
I’d say the probability of victory is 60-40 in Beterbiev’s favor. Of course, one decisive moment could change everything, so you’ll need to watch every round closely—anything could happen at any time. My prediction is that Beterbiev has a 60% chance of winning, but it’s a very evenly matched fight.
Giovanni De Carolis, former WBA champion: Beterbiev
In my opinion, Beterbiev is the favorite going into this rematch. Before their first fight, I expected Bivol to outmaneuver him tactically and technically, but he couldn’t. He always held back, partly because Beterbiev was in phenomenal physical shape.
If Beterbiev shows up in the same condition, I don’t think Bivol will be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat. Of course, Beterbiev just turned 40, and if his age has negatively impacted his preparation—especially given the short time since their last fight and the need to jump straight back into full training—he could struggle. But I still see him as the favorite.
Alessandro Duran, former WBU and European champion: Bivol
The first fight was very close. I had Bivol slightly ahead at the end, but any decision could have been justified. Beterbiev got the win, putting on an excellent performance that showed not only his devastating power but also his tactical intelligence.
I believe Bivol can win this rematch if he moves better on his feet and uses his left jab more consistently than in the previous fight. He needs to disrupt Beterbiev’s rhythm and avoid giving him the initiative. Beterbiev is incredibly strong and hits extremely hard, so when he lands, he’s dangerous. In their first fight, he also did solid bodywork, something Bivol must neutralize this time.
I think Bivol has the technical skills and tactical intelligence to counter Beterbiev’s immense power and physicality, which is why I believe he can take this rematch.
Massimiliano Duran, former WBC and European champion: Bivol
This is a very tough prediction. The first fight’s result could have gone either way. In terms of raw power, Beterbiev has the edge.
The key question is whether Bivol has learned from their first encounter. Personally, if I had to bet five euros, I’d put them on Bivol. But this is an extremely difficult fight to call.
Mauro Galvano, former WBC and European champion: Bivol
I expect a very close fight. On paper, Beterbiev seems more likely to win, but I think Bivol will do something extra from a technical standpoint to secure the victory.
Emiliano Marsili, former IBO and European champion: Beterbiev
I stand by the prediction I made for their first fight—when I was the only one to pick the right winner!
Valerio Nati, former WBO and European champion: Bivol
I see Dmitrii Bivol winning. I’m a fan of his!
Patrizio Oliva, former WBA and European champion, Olympic gold medalist: Bivol on points
Bivol will win on points.
Vincenzo Picardi, Olympic bronze medalist: Bivol on points
This is a tough fight to predict because both are experienced, strong fighters with deep amateur backgrounds. If I’m not mistaken, we even competed in some of the same international tournaments before turning professional.
We all know that Russian boxing is among the best in the world, alongside American and Cuban schools, so this fight is guaranteed to deliver. These two fighters have very different strengths: Beterbiev relies on power and knockout punches, while Bivol is more of a volume puncher—despite fighting in a heavier division, he throws a high number of punches.
The first fight was very close, but I believe Bivol landed more punches overall. However, the judges seemingly favored Beterbiev’s more impactful shots. In my opinion, Bivol will win this rematch on points because I think he has learned from their first encounter and understands what troubled him last time, as well as his opponent’s strengths. His experience from that fight gives him an edge because he has superior speed, mobility, and timing compared to Beterbiev.
Bivol is also a very intelligent fighter—his boxing may seem simple from the outside, but I know firsthand that what looks easy from the outside is often the hardest to execute.
Luca Rigoldi, former European champion: Undecided
It’s extremely difficult to predict this fight, which I see as very evenly matched. Beterbiev carries the momentum from his win in the first bout. In this rematch, everything will depend on how Bivol steps into the ring.
Beterbiev has a set strategy and sticks to it, while in the first fight, Bivol let himself be drawn into his opponent’s game. Personally, I’m rooting for Bivol because he’s a beautiful fighter to watch, stylistically speaking. I hope he evens the score at 1-1, opening the door for a trilogy.
Regardless, I expect a real battle—this is the kind of boxing we love, the kind that deserves to be promoted and watched.
Cristian Sanavia, former WBC and European champion: Bivol
The first fight was very even. However, I believe this time Bivol will win. In my opinion, he is the better fighter.
Andrea Sarritzu, former European champion: Bivol
I saw the first fight as balanced, but Beterbiev was the reigning champion with three world titles. The judges likely felt Bivol hadn’t done enough to take them from him.
I hope to see an intense, action-packed rematch fought at a high pace. I personally appreciate Bivol’s technique, and I hope he finds that extra motivation to showcase his talent. That said, he’s facing a true champion—physically dominant both in taking punches and in landing them, where he is absolutely devastating.
I really hope Bivol wins, as that would set up a trilogy that could bring even more attention to our sport. Boxing needs fighters like these.
Loris Stecca, former WBA and European champion: Beterbiev
Right or wrong, the first decision went to Beterbiev—he won that fight. These are tough fights to judge, but for me, Beterbiev will win again, without a doubt.
Paolo Vidoz, former European champion and Olympic bronze medalist: Bivol
Just like the first time, I see Bivol as the favorite, simply because I always prefer technique over power. However, the judges’ scoring criteria will be crucial—last time, they seemed to favor aggression over clean punches, which could be a factor again.
I have no doubt that both fighters are pushing themselves to their absolute limits in training, and this will be a fight worth watching.
Final tally:
- Artur Beterbiev: 4
- Dmitrii Bivol: 13
- Undecided: 1