• Dmitry Bivol is set to face fellow Russian star Artur Beterbiev on Saturday
  • Bivol was beaten by Beterbiev on points in their first fight in October
  • Bivol has refused to talk about Russia’s war with Ukraine ahead of the fight 

By JEFF POWELL

Published: 12:57 GMT, 18 February 2025 | Updated: 12:57 GMT, 18 February 2025

The Russian who is challenging another Russian for the undisputed world light-heavyweight championship here on Saturday night declines to talk about the traumas and possible outcome of their country’s war against Ukraine.

Certainly not while the leaders of both nations and the United States are convening here in hope of making the peace.

So Dmitry Bivol will discuss only the effects of that conflict on one of the many sports he enjoys. The one from which he is earning another fortune for risking this rematch with monster puncher Artur Beterbiev.

‘I don’t speak my thoughts on the politics,’ says Bivol. ‘I have Russian friends and Ukrainian friends. I have friends from all our old neighbouring countries. It is not easy.

‘We Russians cannot box in Russia. Ukrainians cannot fight in Ukraine. Only abroad. So what I can say is that this is not good for boxing.’

Not so Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom whose oil riches are bringing to fruition the huge fights for which the hardest game has been waiting.

Dmitry Bivol has refused to discuss his country’s ongoing war with Ukraine

Instead, Bivol is fully focused on his rematch with fellow Russian Artur Beterbiev on Saturday

Instead, Bivol is fully focused on his rematch with fellow Russian Artur Beterbiev on Saturday

Bivol has 'revenge' on the mind after losing a razor-thin decision in their first fight in October

Bivol has ‘revenge’ on the mind after losing a razor-thin decision in their first fight in October

For so long it seemed the two best light heavies of this era would never clash.

Now they are fighting a second time time – atop the bill on which Daniel Dubois defends his world heavyweight title against Joseph Parker – for all the belts Beterbiev mopped up in October.

To help put that solitary defeat to the back of his mind he spent some weeks snowboarding – until he wrenched his collarbone – as well as ice hockey with one of his two sons and judo with the other.

Then there’s football with his friends ‘as a midfielder’ in addition to playing tennis and buying padel rackets which ‘I’ve not had chance to use yet.’

He enthuses: ‘I love all sports. Boxing the most because I don’t see myself becoming the best at any other. Because boxing is what I’ve been doing since I was six.’

For now the focus is the fighting. He rationalises his motivation against Beterbiev like this: ‘I don’t want to beat him to be undisputed world champion. I want revenge. We are not friends.’

As with the war, he refrains from elaborating.

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Russian star Dmitry Bivol refuses to discuss his country’s war with Ukraine ahead of rematch against fellow countryman Artur Beterbiev – as he targets ‘revenge’ in Saudi Arabia

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