Saturday's show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has been hailed the best card boxing has ever seen -- and for good reason.
Boxing promoters are known for their hyperbole and selling events they stage. But the seven fights set to take place at the Kingdom Arena are all good enough to have been the main event at sold-out arenas.
The biggest of the lot is the main event, the undisputed light heavyweight title rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, two of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. But much more is happening earlier in the same ring in what might be the biggest night of boxing in 2025.
Four world titles and three interim titles will all be on the line. What are the best fights, why should you watch them, and who is expected to win? ESPN ranks the fights for you.
1. Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol, 12 rounds, for Beterbiev's undisputed light heavyweight championship
Artur Beterbiev comes away with a majority decision victory over Dmitry Bivol in front of a packed crowd in Saudi Arabia.
Not many boxers have managed to stay on top of the game into their 40s. Bernard Hopkins was boxing's equivalent of Peter Pan and he finally closed a marathon career (1988-2016) with a record of 55-8-2, 32 knockouts as the oldest boxing world champion at age 49. Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs), who recently turned 40, showed little sign of decay in a high-quality clash with Bivol in October. But how much did that epic encounter take out of the champ? It was a close fight last time, which Beterbiev won by majority decision, but some had Bivol winning. Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs), driven by a sense of injustice, could edge out another fierce fight if he maintains his intensity until the final bell. Bivol's work rate crucially dropped in their first fight, allowing Beterbiev to claim the last three rounds on all three judges' scorecards.
Bivol, 34, is the more versatile boxer, with the potential to produce something different in the rematch. Beterbiev, a knockout specialist, needs only one opening to end a fight he could be losing.
There are sound arguments for both to win and a third deciding encounter would be inevitable if it is close again or if Bivol equals the score.
2. Daniel Dubois vs. Joseph Parker, 12 rounds, for Dubois' IBF heavyweight title
Daniel Dubois insists he isn't overlooking Joseph Parker ahead of his IBF heavyweight title defence.
An increasing number of boxing pundits and fighters expect Parker to dethrone Dubois, who is coming off a stunning fifth-round knockout of former champion Anthony Joshua in September. Despite knocking down Joshua four times in a complete beatdown, contender Martin Bakole and promoter Eddie Hearn (who promotes neither of them) are backing Parker to win. To do so, Parker needs to adopt the same strategy he excellently executed when he dominated former WBC champion Deontay Wilder in December 2023. Wilder is a ferocious puncher, but Parker (35-3, 23 KOs) frustrated him with his movement, work rate and jab.
Dubois, 22-2, 21 KOs) will be dangerous with his powerful punches, but the longer the fight goes, it plays into Parker's hands.
3. Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Ismail Madrimov, 12 rounds, for the vacant WBC junior middleweight interim title
This promises to be an absolute cracker. After being involved in one of the best fights of 2024, when he twice had to get off the canvas to outpoint Serhii Bohachuk in August, Ortiz needs to be almost perfect against Madrimov.
Bohachuk revealed some vulnerabilities against Ortiz, and a fight against Madrimov looks like a dangerous one for him. Madrimov (10-1-1, 7 KOs), from Uzbekistan but who trains in California, is a similar fighter to Bohachuk, but arguably a slightly better version. Just look at how well Madrimov fared against Terence Crawford last August when he lost a close, well-contested unanimous decision.
Ortiz (22-0, 21 KOs) could capitalize on any hesitancy from Madrimov when coming forward. He will want to impose himself early, which will add entertainment value for viewers.
Both know each other from previous sparring sessions, which suggests they will not spend any time getting to know each other in the early rounds. It could quickly turn into a no-compromises, all-out brawl.
4. Joshua Buatsi vs. Callum Smith, 12 rounds, for Buatsi's WBO light heavyweight interim title
This encounter would have packed a large venue in the U.K. on its own, and its outcome will be significant. The two English contenders dispute the opportunity to face the winner of the main event between Beterbiev and Bivol.
Smith (30-2, 22 KOs) has more experience and is perhaps more widely known: He is a former WBC super middleweight champion who took Canelo Alvarez the distance in December 2020. Other than that, Smith's only setback was by seventh-round stoppage to Beterbiev a little over a year ago, when he was sent to the canvas for the first time in his career in a punishing night. How much does Smith have left at 34, and does the younger Buatsi have more appetite and energy?
Buatsi (19-0, 13 KOs), born in Ghana but raised in south London, has looked slick in recent wins over Willy Hutchinson and Dan Azeez. Buatsi floored Hutchinson twice with body shots on his way to a split decision win for the then-vacant WBO interim light heavyweight title.
5. Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz, 12 rounds, for Adames' WBC middleweight title
The timing of this fight is perfect for Sheeraz, who is flying high with 15 consecutive knockout victories. He hasn't heard the final bell in more than six years. In 2024, Sheeraz stopped three opponents in impressive style. Although Adames will be a step up, it's hard to go against the man with the momentum behind him.
Sheeraz (21-0, 17 KOs) looked especially devastating in his last fight, swatting Tyler Denny in only two rounds last September. But his previous fight was even more impressive when he comfortably outpunched Austin "Ammo" Williams, dropping him in Round 10 with a right hook, and overpowering him in Round 11. Williams was previously unbeaten in 16 bouts.
Adames (24-1, 18 KOs) has not been as active, registering just a decision win over Terrell Gausha in the past 18 months. Sheeraz, who has a four-inch height advantage, could overwhelm Adames and put the middleweight division on notice.
6. Agit Kabayel vs. Zhilei Zhang, 12 rounds, heavyweight
This is the first fight of the main card, but it's worth tuning in early as it promises thrills and spills.
Kabayel (25-0,17 KOs) will look to considerably outwork Zhang, but Zhang has ruined fighters who were in winning positions before with his deceptive southpaw punching power. Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KOs) twice stopped Joe Joyce in 2023, and in his most recent fight in June, he made a mess of Deontay Wilder in only five rounds.
Kabayel shined when he sent Arslanbek Makhmudov to the canvas three times in a fourth-round TKO win in December 2023, and then targeted the body amid sustained pressure to stop Frank Sanchez in May last year. Kabayel might adopt a similar strategy to the Sanchez fight vs. Zhang. Joseph Parker used movement to get a decision win over Zhang in March last year, and Kabayel could use a page from Parker's book if he's to win.
But Zhang will look to finish the fight before it goes to the scorecards, making this fight interesting. The WBC interim title is on the line, meaning the winner will be in a good position for a shot at champion Oleksandr Usyk later this year.
7. Shakur Stevenson vs. Floyd Schofield, 12 rounds, for Stevenson's WBC lightweight title
Shakur Stevenson overwhelms Artem Harutyunyan with a flurry of punches in Round 9.
Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) has not dazzled in his last two decision wins, but that could change in his latest lightweight title defense.
Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) likes to come forward and that will suit the brilliant counter-punching skills of Stevenson. Stevenson, a three-division world champion forced out of a fight against Joe Cordina in October because of a hand injury, is technically too good for Schofield, who is five years younger and seems to lack the experience to test the champion.
Should Stevenson win and avoid any recurrence of his hand injury, expect him to call for a fight with Gervonta "Tank" Davis.