Bivol, Zindane Weigh In, Clash Sunday Morning

This morning, WBA Super/IBO Light Heavyweight Champion Russian Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs) and Libyan boxer Mahammad Ali Zindane (22-0, 16 KOs) weighed in ahead of their showdown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On June 2nd, Beijing time, the pair will battle it out in a 12-round light heavyweight title clash, marking Bivol’s 14th WBA world title defense (inclusive of interim title bouts). This bout serves as a significant undercard event leading up to the main event featuring Zhang Zhilei vs. Deontay Wilder.

Bivol weighed in at 175 lbs, while his opponent came in at 174.2 lbs. Originally, Bivol was scheduled to face WBC/IBF/WBO Light Heavyweight Champion Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) on June 2 for an undisputed championship, but Beterbiev announced a postponement in early May due to a torn meniscus in his knee – the fifth injury-related delay in the last five years for Beterbiev. As a result, Bivol secured Zindane as a late replacement.

The 33-year-old Bivol boasts an unblemished professional record of 22 wins with 11 knockouts, currently ranked second by BoxRec in the 175 lb division and sixth on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list. Standing at 6’0″ with a 72″ reach, Bivol defeated Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) and Gilberto Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs) in 2022, earning him recognition as Fighter of the Year by various media outlets. Known for his speed, technique, and ring IQ, Bivol’s versatile style has often been underestimated.

Zindane, 30, is also undefeated with a record of 22 wins, 16 by way of knockout, currently ranked eighth by BoxRec in the middleweight division. He stands at 6’2″ and holds the position of IBF’s number two light heavyweight contender. Although he possesses some skills, his level of competition lags behind Bivol’s. Bookmakers heavily favor Bivol, with odds at 1-13.