It was one of the most one-sided title fights in recent memory.
When Dmitry Bivol and Gilberto Ramirez touched down in Abu Dhabi ahead of their light-heavyweight title fight in November 2022, they did so with unblemished pro records.
Bivol, the WBA (Super) champion boasted a perfect 20-0 record and was coming off a landmark win in which he completely outclassed a Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez generally regarded as one of the best boxers of all time, albeit one biting off more than he could chew by stepping up so many weight classes.
Ramirez had fought more than twice as many times as Bivol, with an enviable 44 victories in as many bouts. A classy practitioner and former world super middleweight champion, the Mexican was aiming to disrupt the light heavyweight ranks dominated by Bivol and his fellow Russian Artur Beterbiev.
While the now customary barbs common before a title fight were traded by both boxers pre-fight, it was for the most part respectful. When the first bell sounded and the action got under way at Etihad Arena, Ramirez's words would have stung Bivol more than his actions as the Russian put on another masterclass.
For 12 rounds Bivol went through his full repertoire of skills: slick combinations, feints and dips, breaking the will of his opponent. It was complete ring control for the full 36 minutes and brought to mind Joe Calzaghe's total domination of Jeff Lacy in their super middleweight title fight in 2006.
The bout marked the first high-profile title fight on these shores with the promise of more to come. And while the UAE is ready and willing to host its next championship fight, the boxing world turns its focus to neighbouring Saudi Arabia this week.
Billed as the “Day of Reckoning”, Bivol returns to the ring for the first time since schooling Ramirez 13 months ago on the undercard of Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder's co-main events.
The 32-year-old defends his WBA strap for the fifth time since being elevated to “Super” status in October 2019 (Bivol also defended the regular WBA belt five times) against Lyndon Arthur.
Ranked eighth by the WBA, Arthur has won 23 of his 24 pro bouts and will put his IBO title on the line. And while a record of 16 wins by knockout suggests Bivol should have a healthy respect for his opponent, few observers believe the Briton will pull off an upset against a boxer with legitimate claims as one of the best pound-for-pound punchers around.
“I have just recently come back from a great event in Saudi Arabia and now I will have the opportunity to fight there,” Bivol said, referring to his attendance at October's clash between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou in Riyadh. “I am excited and looking forward to fighting Lyndon, his record and his belt are a motivation for me.”
With the greatest respect to Arthur, boxing fans know the one true test for Bivol lies in the shape of Beterbiev. The 38-year-old, who fights out of Canada, has packed much into an unbeaten 19-fight career that only saw him turn pro in 2013. He won his first world title in 2017 and has since added the IBF and WBC belts to sit alongside his WBO light heavyweight title.
Beterbiev faces a mandatory title defence of his WBC strap against Callum Smith on January 13 and it will require that organisation playing ball with the WBA and the various promoters to set up a unification bout against Bivol.
They say you should never mix sport and politics, but it is an unavoidable traffic jam in navigating boxing's myriad alphabet organisations.
But that's not to say it's an obstacle that can't be overcome. Money talks and in boxing it positively screams.
Saudi Arabia has shown a determination to rival boxing's traditional heartlands of New York and Las Vegas in hosting major title fights and would no doubt be in the bidding to host a Beterbiev-Bivol winner-takes-all showdown in the light heavyweight division.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Six things you need to know about UAE Women’s Special Olympics football team
Several girls started playing football at age four
They describe sport as their passion
The girls don’t dwell on their condition
They just say they may need to work a little harder than others
When not in training, they play football with their brothers and sisters
The girls want to inspire others to join the UAE Special Olympics teams
Lampedusa: Gateway to Europe
Pietro Bartolo and Lidia Tilotta
Quercus
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Brighton 1
Gross (50' pen)
Tottenham 1
Kane (48)
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
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Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
More on Palestine-Israeli relations
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
