Bivol wasn't surprised by Beterbiev's victory over Callum Smith

All indications point to an eagerly anticipated light heavyweight boxing showdown between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev materializing later this summer.

The clash between the WBA and IBO champion, Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs), and the WBC, WBO, and IBF champion, Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs), has been brewing for years, and it seems that negotiations are on the verge of completion, pending funding from Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia.

Both fighters recently solidified their positions by securing victories in their respective bouts. Bivol secured a unanimous decision win over Lyndon Arthur on December 23, while Beterbiev achieved a seventh-round stoppage against Callum Smith on January 13.

Reflecting on Beterbiev's performance against Smith, Bivol expressed little surprise that his future opponent won.

"I wasn't surprised too much, to be honest. Beterbiev was as good as I expected him to be against Smith," Bivol declared.

"He was powerful as before, and he did his job well."

Bivol and Beterbiev are on a collision course

Bivol's standout moment in 2022 was his victory over Canelo Alvarez, earning him the Fighter of the Year honors after also defeating Gilberto Ramirez.

Despite the accolades, Bivol believes that Beterbiev will present a more formidable challenge than Alvarez when they eventually face off.

Honest in his assessment, Bivol is aware of how difficult a bout with Beterbiev will be.

"To be honest, I believe Beterbiev is my hardest test. He's physically stronger than Canelo Alvarez, and he has good technique too," he added.

"I like smart boxing. I want to believe that I'll show this boxing to the people [against Beterbiev], and it should be better than power or than just speed."

Bivol aims to create moments that make Beterbiev uncomfortable, relying on his boxing prowess to secure victory in what promises to be a highly anticipated matchup.