In the fierce arena of light heavyweight boxing, Artur Beterbiev reigns as a living hurricane–a unified champion with a flawless record. Once again, the Russian boxer showcased his prowess against Callum Smith. It is safe to claim he isn’t just a boxer but a demolition specialist who strategically floors his opponent. Now that he has maintained his record as the WBC, IBF, WBO light heavyweight champion of the world, fans have one question: How much did he secure financially?
While the purses in the combat world are often kept very confidential and information about them is rarely released to the public, there are reports suggesting that in the Beterbiev vs. Smith fight, the Russian boxer earned $1,332,450, which is 70% of the $2,115,000 winning bid.
On the other hand, despite losing the fight, Smith still earned a significant amount, reportedly $571,050, which is 30% of the bid. This fight was secured by Top Rank in the light heavyweight clash. Notably, Beterbiev has not only earned $1,332,450 from the 70% share but also received a $211,500 bonus, making his total earnings from the fight almost $1.5 million.
While these are just estimates and not confirmed figures. And now Beterbiev, after securing his 20th knockout win, is set to face Dmitry Bivol in Saudi Arabia for his next fight.
Artur Beterbiev is set to fight against Dmitry Bivol next
Boxing journalist Dan Rafael recently revealed an interesting update on a potential match. Reports suggested that Dmitry Bivol signed a contract to face three-belt champion Artur Beterbiev in Saudi Arabia. But for that, Beterbiev has to retain his belts against Callum Smith, and now that he did retain it successfully with a knockout, this matchup appears set to take place next.
‼️ Dmitry Bivol has reportedly now SIGNED his side of a deal to fight Artur Beterbiev next for the undisputed light-heavyweight world titles in Saudi Arabia. Beterbiev must beat Callum Smith on Jan 13th and then agree his side to finalise the fight. [According to @DanRafael1] pic.twitter.com/gw7DefN8O9
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) December 30, 2023
Both are undefeated fighters. While Beterbiev has a 20-0 record, Bivol boasts of a 22-0 stat. Organized by the Saudi Arabian team, the bout without a doubt will be a grand event. The Russian boxer is currently the only champion with a 100 percent knockout record.
Bivol has reportedly sealed the deal, but the specific date remains undisclosed. With Beterbiev securing a victory and Bivol signing the deal, an announcement for the fight date is expected soon.
