The long-awaited showdown between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, two undefeated light heavyweights, is set to determine the first undisputed champion at 175 pounds since Roy Jones Jr. achieved the feat two decades ago. Scheduled for October 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the fight pits the WBA champion Bivol, who last fought in June with a sixth-round stoppage win over Malik Zinad, against the WBO, WBC, and IBF champion Beterbiev, who last fought in January, decimating Callum Smith. While both fighters enter the bout undefeated, the weight of opinion seems to favor Bivol, particularly from boxing legend Roy Jones Jr., who has declared the fight a clear mismatch.

Jones, known for his own dominant reign at light heavyweight, highlighted Bivol's youth and activity, as well as his ability to withstand punishment, citing his impressive performance against the pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez. Jones points out that Beterbiev, despite his knockout power, has been dropped in the past and is now facing a younger, fresher opponent who possesses a bigger scalp on his resume.

"No. It’s not a 50/50 fight," Jones remarked. "One, Beterbiev is much older, Beterbiev has been (knocked) down, Bivol has never been down. Bivol has been in there with who, at the time, was the pound-for-pound best in Canelo Alvarez and made him look like nothing. So it’s not a 50/50. Beterbiev has got everything to show me to bring it back to a 50/50 fight. Right now, Bivol has the advantage [at] 60/40. Now, Beterbiev is a hell of a guy and one hell of a fighter and has awesome power but he has also been down and the way I see it is, if someone else has knocked you down then I’ve got to get you down, you understand me? Now it’s one hell of a punch to walk through to get him down, so it’s a very dangerous game to play."

However, not everyone shares Jones' view. Blair Cobbs, a prominent boxing analyst, believes that Beterbiev's relentless pressure and devastating power could be the deciding factor. He argues that Bivol's tendency to fight on the outside could prove ineffective against a fighter like Beterbiev, who possesses a unique ability to close the distance and deliver powerful shots. Cobbs notes that Callum Smith, despite being a bigger fighter, failed to keep Beterbiev at bay, and he believes Bivol will face similar challenges.

"Artur Beterbiev has unbelievable strength and power. I don’t know how Bivol is going to be able to fight somebody like that. That back and forth, bouncing up and down and that moving that he uses, I don’t know if that works against somebody that throws a lot of powerful arm punches. He doesn’t have to have a rhythm to whip your backside."

While the fight is certain to be a thrilling encounter, Jones' opinion, based on his vast experience and insight, adds another layer of intrigue to the upcoming clash. The fight promises to be a nail-biting affair, with the undisputed light heavyweight crown hanging in the balance. Both fighters are at the peak of their powers, and it's a true clash of styles that has the potential to be a classic. The result will be a statement for the winner, and it's a fight that boxing fans around the world are eagerly anticipating. The fight will be streamed on ESPN+ PPV.