Matchroom Boxing's Eddie Hearn has a goal is to make the best matches boxing has to offer. He believes the best fight for the sport right now is this weekend's matchup that is an undisputed light heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
That fight airs on ESPN+ in the U.S. and DAZN worldwide.
Hearn took over as Chairman of the Matchroom Group after father Barry stepped down after over 40 years in the industry. He has seen the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Anthony Joshua, Katie Taylor and Dmitry Bivol join his stable. Valued last year at more than £1 billion (approx. $1.307 billion), Matchroom adds more value with Beterbiev vs. Bivol.
Saturday, October 12, will mark the first time in 25 years an undisputed light heavyweight champion will be crowned. The fight in Saudi Arabia features Beterbiev (20-0), the IBF, WBC, and WBO champion, with a 100 percent knockout rate. The Russian with Canadian citizenship faces Bivol (23-0), the WBA champion who won a one-sided affair against the mighty Canelo Alvarez in 2022.
MORE: Who will win Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol?
Hearn has backed Matchroom's Bivol, which many who know him expected. But there is a reason other than the fact he's associated with the promotion.
"I'm obviously biased because Dmitry Bivol is our guy. It's probably not a fight I would bet on because it's such a pure 50/50. If I was definitely going to be putting my money down, it would be on Dmitry Bivol for a number of reasons," Hearn told The Sporting News.
"I think he's a masterful boxer. He is younger. His body is less war-torn. I just think he is the better boxer, and I always go for the better boxer. But Artur is so much more than an explosive puncher. He's a very good boxer as well. I think it's a classic match of styles, and I think it is the best fight that could be made in boxing right now."
The winner would be the first undisputed light heavyweight champion since Roy Jones Jr. 22 years ago. Would the Beterbiev-Bivol winner be given the same status as Jones, Archie Moore, Bob Foster and Michael Spinks?
"These are legends of the sport. For me, the winner of this fight is a generational great," Hearn said. "The best light heavyweight of our entire generation. You put them alongside the names mentioned, which is Hall of Fame status, the history books of boxing."
MORE: Is the Beterbiev-Bivol winner the best fighter in the world?
The fight is years in the making. It was tough to make for several reasons. The WBC refused to sanction it because of Russian aggression against Ukraine. Injuries also played a factor. The fight was meant for June but got nixed after Beterbiev suffered a ruptured meniscus. It added to the injuries and surgeries that affected both fighters over the years.
Despite years of abuse to their bodies, Hearn believes they will feel in their prime on fight night.
"Beterbiev is coming off a knee injury. Before that, he had a tooth problem, and then he fought Callum Smith. I thought he looked the best he's ever looked. You keep waiting for Beterbiev to get old, you have't seen it yet," Hearn said. "Dmitry, in terms of his injuries, he's fine. He beat Canelo Alvarez, Zurdo Ramirez and Lyndon Arthur. He's firing on all cylinders. I don't think injuries will play a part in this fight.
"This is a lifelong dream. They will give it everything on Saturday night."
The fight in Saudi Arabia is possible because of a growing partnership between boxing and General Entertainment Authority Chairman Turki Alalshikh. Dream fights many have waited years for have been booked right away during Riyadh Season, with promotion and money coming in to help the sport.
One question regarding the partnership is the status of women's boxing.
Ramla Ali's knockout of Crystal Garcia Nova in 2022 was the first major women's fight in the area. Skye Nicolson defends the WBC featherweight title against Raven Chapman in the first women's championship fight to air on a Riyadh Season-produced card. Women's boxing recently has seen a golden age because of Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, Claressa Shields and others.
MORE: The case for two vs. three-minute rounds in women's boxing
However, there has been a lack of women's fights at Riyadh Season events. Will we see more outside of this contest?
"This is the first women's championship card in Riyadh Season, which is really important because we've seen every kind of level of boxing benefit from Riyadh Season. Not yet for women's boxing," Hearn said. "We'll be seeing that this Saturday. Hopefully, it will open the door to more championship fights for female boxing at Riyadh Season.
"It's a groundbreaking moment and a really big fight as well. I think Skye Nicolson is the favorite, but Raven Chapman is very aggressive. Two undefeated fighters. It will be a really good matchup and hopefully the first of many in Riyadh Season."
The boxing world has been buzzing, in social media and beyond, about women's boxing not being on events like this. Hearn believes by working with Turki Alalshikh, more will come with time. When is the open question.
"I think (Alalshikh) just loves boxing. Every fight is picked on its merit, not if it's male or female. This is a really good fight, one of the best in the sport. I think he will enjoy that. We've seen a huge amount of publicity for that fight. I think, it delivers on Saturday, I'm sure we'll see more. It's not really about placing one just to place one. Every fight has to be there on its merits. This is a fight that deserves it, and there's many more in women's boxing that deserve a slot on a Riyadh Season card."
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