A patient opening, did we expect anything else from two masters of their art?

Referee Thomas Taylor has to warn the two fighters to watch their feet as they end up stepping on each other toes a couple of times.

Bivol sticks out the jab, trying to find his range and then finds a home for his left hook.

Really positive from the WBA (Super) champion.

It's a hectic end to the round with both fighters landing a one-two. Bivol seemed to stumble a little.

Image source, Queensberry Promotions

It seems we're not the only ones who are split.

Introductions done.

Off we go in this undisputed contest.

Darren Barker
Former world middleweight champion on 5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast

I would have Beterbiev as the favourite. When you have that power, he knocks people down with jabs. How can you not have him favourite?

Not massive [favourite], but at any point he could switch Bivol's lights out. But I am going Bivol in an unanimous decision but a very close fight.

What I mean by that is the rounds will be enough. I am going with the Matador in this fight but I wouldn't put my house on it.

Subconsciously I do always side with the natural boxer. Because if the boxer gets it right, they're harder to beat.

Final chance to get your predictions in.

We're split in the office.

Thumbs up for Beterbiev or thumbs down for Bivol.

Mark B on X: Could Jai Opetaia come down from cruiserweight to light-heavyweight to challenge Bivol or Beterbiev?

Former world champion Regis Prograis: "I've got to bet on Bivol, he's a beast. That's a really good fight, the only bad thing is that they don't have big names for those outside of boxing fans. But that's a badass fight."

Retired world title challenger Paul Smith: "From the start I've said Beterbiev and I think it could be a late stoppage. I don't think there's anyone out there who can keep him off them. He's too relentless.

"Bivol is obviously exceptionally good and has unbelievable footwork so I wouldn't be surprised if he did win. But I've always felt Bivol, apart from against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, has done just enough to win fights and I'm not sure that will be enough against Beterbiev. I don't think he hits hard enough to command Beterbiev's respect."

English cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley: "I'm going with Bivol. He has the better movement, better flow and will be able to outbox Beterbiev for the majority of the rounds. But as we get into the later rounds, it will turn into a war."

Image source, Getty Images

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn is predicting a blockbuster when tonight's two main protagonists take to the ring.

WBO, WBC and IBF champion Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, who brings the WBA title into the equation, are looking to carve their name into the history books.

Roy Jones Jr was the last undisputed light-heavyweight champion, earning that status in 1999 and reigning until 2002, but that was un the three-belt era.

Tonight, we will get the first-ever undisputed champion with all four light-heavyweight titles on the line.

"This is a generational fight between two ice-cold competitors," said Hearn, who promotes Bivol.

"Bivol already slayed the pound-for-pound king in [Saul 'Canelo'] Alvarez and this is what he wants more than anything.

"I believe Dmitry Bivol will be the undisputed champion."

On to Dmitry Bivol.

He also seems pretty keen to get this going.

We're so used to seeing fighters want to put on a show when they walk to the ring - that's certainly not the case here.

Hopefully that means we'll get the show in the ring.

Image source, Queensberry

Darren Barker
Former world middleweight champion on DAZN

Beterbiev is a wrecking ball. He carries ridiculous power in both hands, you have to stay switched on for every moment of the fight. What a fighter.

Bivol's promoter Eddie Hearn: "When you fight Beterbiev, it's like a ticking time bomb. The speed of that time bomb depends on the opponent. Dmitry has the ability to make that tick really slow. How slow can he make it tick? The boom point is 12 rounds.

"Beterbiev is going to get you, but how quick can he get you and how long do you have left when he does get you? The only person who can beat Beterbiev right now is Bivol."

Former world champion Hannah Rankin: "This is a brilliant match-up of two fighters who have been waiting to fight for a long time and now all the marbles are on the line.

"I'm going with Bivol on points as he is the younger and fresher of the two with less wear and tear on his body. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Beterbiev does drop Bivol during the fight."

Saudi welterweight Ziyad 'Zizo' Almaayouf: "Call me crazy, but I say Bivol takes this very swiftly actually. There'll always be danger from Beterbiev, but I see Bivol controlling the distance too well."

This is moving quickly and we're straight on to the big moment.

Artur Beterbiev is first to make the walk.

In true Beterbiev style, it's no nonsense. He jogs to the ring and wants to get to business.

Image source, Queensberry

Image source, Getty Images

Dmitry Bivol might not be able to boast a 100 per cent knockout ratio but he can proudly sport an undefeated record, including a victory against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.

Make no mistake, Bivol is the real deal and he's primed to let the world know just what he is capable of.

The Russian comes into this bout with just one belt - the WBA (Super) - but is hoping to leave with the full set in tow.

"Yes it's a dream. Yes it's four belts, not all fighters get this chance. But at the same time it's just two boxers going in the ring and they need to beat each other," Bivol said.

"I am trying to keep it simple. I have 36 minutes to do my work.

"I hope, I believe. If I don't believe I could not be in boxing.

"He's strong first. He has heavy punch. He has good boxing skills. His mentality is also good. All of it makes me excited and makes me proud of myself also, this is the level of opponent I have - great. I am good also."

Queensbury promotor Frank Warren speaking to DAZN: "The thing about all of this is Beterbiev a guy with a perfect record and 20 knockouts. He's in with another guy who's undefeated and can punch himself. Beterbiev is 39 and he's coming off that surgery.

"Now we will see because this is a fight that everyone has been waiting for. One minute I've been thinking Beterbiev and the next I'm thinking Bivol. If Beterbiev hasn't declined then I lean towards him."

Image source, Boxxer

Artur Beterbiev holds the advantage when it comes to age but not necessarily in experience.

Beterbiev, aged 39, is six years older than Dmitry Bivol but has fought on three fewer occasions.

They were scheduled to meet on June 1 but Beterbiev had to pull out after suffering a knee injury in training.

Both are yet to taste defeat and have a combined 32 knockouts across 43 contests.

Russian Beterbiev, who resides in Canada, has competed on 20 occasions and has won every fight inside the distance - he is the only current world champion to possess a 100 per cent knockout ratio.

Beterbiev won his first world title in 2017 when he beat Enrico Kolling to claim the vacant IBF light-heavyweight belt.

He added the WBC strap to his collection in 2019 after stopping Oleksandr Gvozdyk and picked up the WBO title with victory against Joe Smith Jr in 2022.

Bivol turned professional in 2014, one year after Beterbiev, but has been more active over the past 10 years.

He won the interim WBA title in just his seventh fight in 2016 and was upgraded to the 'Super' champion in September 2017.

Bivol earned a shock points victory against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in 2022, becoming just the second man to achieve that feat after Floyd Mayweather.

He has 12 stoppages on his record but nine of his last 10 fights have gone the distance.

Darren Barker
Former world middleweight champion on DAZN

You look at the fleet-footed movement of Bivol and he could frustrate Beterbiev. You talk about the knee but Beterbiev wouldn't have taken the fight if he wasn't ready.

Right, the music is done and dusted.

That means we're closing in on the main event - finally!

Darren Barker
Former world middleweight champion on DAZN

Bivol has proved he can handle the huge moments. He took on Canelo in the lion's den in Vegas and won.