Ranking the 7 title fights on the loaded Beterbiev-Bivol 2 card
Worst to first; what's at stake in each bout; thoughts on each fight; what the combatants have to say about their matches
A note to Fight Freaks Unite readers: I created Fight Freaks Unite in January 2021 and eight months later it also became available for paid subscriptions for additional content — and as a way to help keep this newsletter going and for readers to support independent journalism. If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription please consider it. If you have already, I truly appreciate it! Also, consider a gift subscription for the Fight Freak in your life.
The Riyadh Season card on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is as legitimately stacked as any show in boxing history with several highly significant bouts.
Between full world and interim versions there are seven title bouts on the card, including a highly anticipated rematch between undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and former titlist Dmitry Bivol in the main event.
Also, six of them are, on paper at least, toss-up fights where it would not be considered a major upset regardless of the winner. Frankly, any of the bouts could headline its own show.
So, take the evenly matched nature of the bouts combined with a price point (DAZN PPV, PPV.COM, $25.99, 10:30 a.m. ET) as affordable as any notable pay-per-view card literally in decades and it’s a can’t-miss show. There hasn’t been a major world title pay-per-view this inexpensive since the early days of pay-per-view in the 1990s.
Here is my ranking, in reverse order, of the bouts on the card; what is at stake; my thought on each bout; and what the combatants had to say at the “grand arrivals” ceremony on Tuesday night: