Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol will lastly step within the ring reverse one another on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
Boxing followers have been ready to see the light-heavyweight world champions battle for a number of years.
All 4 titles can be on the road in Riyadh, with 39-year-old Beterbiev holding the WBC, WBO and IBF belts and 33-year-old Bivol the WBA (Tremendous) champion.
Each males are undefeated and the competition is being promoted as a possible traditional within the making.
You possibly can comply with dwell textual content commentary of the primary occasion and undercard, which incorporates two Britons in world title fights, from 19:00 BST on Saturday on the BBC Sport web site and app.
Who would be the first undisputed light-heavyweight champion within the four-belt period? Who will endure their first defeat? May a draw be on the playing cards?
BBC Sport has requested all over the world of boxing for predictions.
Retired world champion & boxing coach Anthony Crolla: “You possibly can inform what a great battle it’s as a result of so many individuals are discovering it arduous to choose a winner, and I am one in all them. If I am actually pushed, I simply do not suppose Bivol could have the firepower to maintain Beterbiev off. I see Beterbiev will put on him down and perhaps get a stoppage across the ninth or tenth spherical.
“However I additionally would not be shocked if we see a really disciplined efficiency from Bivol the place he outboxes Beterbiev, hit him and transfer him, just like how he did in opposition to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.”
WBC light-weight champion Skye Nicolson: “It is the everyday brawler v boxer, and I’ve to again the boxer. I discover it arduous to see Bivol being caught in a scenario he would not need to be in. He is so good at controlling the space and tempo of the battle.
“But when anybody can do it, it is Beterbiev. My coronary heart says Bivol.”
Retired world champion Barry Jones: “Beterbiev must be a slight favorite. He is knocked out punchers , he is knocked out boxers and he can knock you out within the first spherical or the twelfth. There isn’t any spherical, second or minute once you’re actually actually secure with him.
“However I’ll nonetheless go together with Bivol. I simply have a sense that his intelligence, persistence, self-discipline and quietness of strategy would possibly simply be sufficient to experience the damaging moments and get him by in a detailed determination.
“Bivol might need to get off the ground a few instances however I feel he might have an early sufficient result in sneak dwelling.”
British heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley: “I’m edging towards Bivol however that is most likely one of many hardest fights to foretell in boxing in the meanwhile. It is an actual decide ’em battle with two males with fully completely different kinds. Beterbiev is a destroyer who can clear by everybody. Bivol has nice energy however is such a clear and exact boxer.
“It is a query of who can implement their type finest on the night time and make the influence.”
Heavyweight Frazer Clarke: “I preserve altering my thoughts. I have been saying Beterbiev the entire time however I now suppose Bivol might take this one. It is a world class 50/50, although.”
Retired world champion Darren Barker: “I’d have Beterbiev because the favorite. When you’ve gotten that energy, he knocks individuals down with jabs. How are you going to not have him favorite? Not huge, however at any level he might change Bivol’s lights out. However I’m going Bivol in a unanimous determination however a really shut battle. What I imply by that’s the rounds can be sufficient. I’m going with the matador on this battle however I would not put my home on it.”
Bivol’s promoter Eddie Hearn: “Once you battle Beterbiev, it is like a ticking time bomb. The pace of that point bomb will depend on the opponent. Dmitry has the flexibility to make that tick actually sluggish. How sluggish can he make it tick? The increase level is 12 rounds.
“Beterbiev goes to get you, however how fast can he get you and the way lengthy do you’ve gotten left when he does get you? The one one that can beat Beterbiev proper now’s Bivol.”
Former world champion Hannah Rankin: “This can be a good match-up of two fighters who’ve been ready to battle for a very long time and now all of the marbles are on the road.
“I am going with Bivol on factors as he’s the youthful and brisker of the 2 with much less put on and tear on his physique. Nonetheless, I would not be shocked if Beterbiev does drop Bivol throughout the battle.”
Saudi welterweight Ziyad ‘Zizo’ Almaayouf: “Name me loopy, however I say Bivol takes this very swiftly truly. There’ll at all times be hazard from Beterbiev, however I see Bivol controlling the space too effectively.”
Former world champion Regis Prograis: “I’ve obtained to guess on Bivol, he is a beast. That is a extremely good battle, the one unhealthy factor is that they do not have huge names for these outdoors of boxing followers. However that is a badass battle.”
Retired world title challenger Paul Smith: “From the beginning I’ve mentioned Beterbiev and I feel it might be a late stoppage. I do not suppose there’s anybody on the market who can preserve him off them. He is too relentless.
“Bivol is clearly exceptionally good and has unbelievable footwork so I would not be shocked if he did win. However I’ve at all times felt Bivol, aside from in opposition to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, has completed simply sufficient to win fights and I am undecided that can be sufficient in opposition to Beterbiev. I do not suppose he hits arduous sufficient to command Beterbiev’s respect.”
English cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley: “I am going with Bivol. He has the higher motion, higher stream and can have the ability to outbox Beterbiev for almost all of the rounds. However as we get into the later rounds, it would flip right into a battle.”
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