One of the biggest fights in boxing will finally take place this weekend when unified light-heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev and WBA title holder Dmitry Bivol battle for undisputed in Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of the big night, here is everything you need to know about the "Four-Crown Showdown" event.
What is it?
"Four-Crown Showdown" is a major boxing event that will be headlined by the light-heavyweight championship bout between WBC, WBO and IBF belt holder Beterbiev and WBA champion Bivol. With all four belts on the line, the winner will emerge as the undisputed champion of the 175-pound division.
Before their fight, boxing fans will be treated to an impressive undercard, including two world title fights and a highly-anticipated heavyweight rematch.
When is it?
The event takes place this Saturday, October 12. It was originally scheduled for June 1 but was postponed to the new date after Beterbiev suffered a knee injury during training camp and required surgery.
Where is it?
The Kingdom Arena in Riyadh will once again play host to a massive world title fight. The arena has become the de facto venue for major boxing events in the Saudi Arabian capital, including May's undisputed heavyweight bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury and the rematch in December.
Who are the headline fighters?
In an increasingly competitive light-heavyweight division, Beterbiev and Bivol remain the standard bearers.
Beterbiev has earned a reputation as one of the finest knockout specialists of his generation, winning all 20 of his professional bouts by stoppage. The Canada-based Russian first became world champion when he won the vacant IBF belt in 2017 by knocking out Enrico Koelling in the final round in California.
Three fights later, he added Oleksandr Gvozdyk's WBC title to his collection with a 10th-round knockout in Philadelphia. Two title defences of his belts followed before Beterbiev engaged in another unification bout with then-WBO champion Joe Smith Jr, whom he cleaned out in two rounds in New York in 2022.
Beterbiev retained his three titles with successive knockout wins over British fighters, stopping Anthony Yarde in January 2023 and former super-middleweight champion Callum Smith 12 months later.
Bivol is also unbeaten heading into Saturday's bout, winning 13 of 23 inside the distance. He began his world title journey by claiming the WBA's interim belt in 2016 and was later elevated to full champion the following year.
Bivol fought Trent Broadhurst in November 2017 in his first bout as world champion and has made 11 successful title defences, many of them against top-tier challengers, including a superb points win over GIlberto Ramirez in Abu Dhabi.
But it was his May 2022 fight against pound-for-pound superstar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez that thrust the California-based Russian into the spotlight. Alvarez was regarded as the pre-fight favourite, despite an ambitious climb up to light-heavyweight, but Bivol delivered a flawless performance in Las Vegas to inflict a second career defeat on the Mexican.
Where Beterbiev is known for his ferocious power, Bivol has established himself as one of the most skillful and technically gifted fighters on the planet. This clash of styles is expected to deliver a blockbuster fight.
Who is on the undercard?
In typical Saudi style, the undercard is packed with exciting bouts. The co-main event is a middleweight fight between British fighter Chris Eubank Jr and Polish veteran Kamil Szeremeta. Eubank has not fought since claiming revenge against Liam Smith 13 months ago and is looking to get back into the world title conversation.
Before then is the heavyweight rematch between British and Commonwealth champion Fabio Wardley and former Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke. The British fighters fought to a thrilling draw in March and will settle their rivalry in Riyadh.
Elsewhere, IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia will fight in Riyadh for a third successive time when he defends his title against European champion Jack Massey, and the entertaining light-heavyweight prospect Ben Whittaker competes in his ninth pro fight against Liam Cameron.
The undercard begins with Saudi lightweight Mohammaed Alakel making his professional debut against Jesus Gonzalez, before the first world title fight of the night sees Skye Nicolson put her WBC featherweight title on the line against Raven Chapman. The bout will make history as the first women's world title fight ever to be staged in the kingdom.
WBC lightweight world champion Shakur Stevenson had been scheduled to defend his title against Joe Cordina, but the American was forced to withdraw due to a hand injury in training.
What is the fight week schedule?
The build-up to fight night starts on Tuesday with the Grand Arrivals when the fighters are introduced in a lavish ceremony at Boulevard City. The open workouts then take place on Wednesday, before a press conference on Thursday and the weigh-ins on Friday.
What time does the event start?
The main card, starting with Alakel v Gonzalez, will begin at 9pm local time (10pm UAE) on Saturday. Beterbiev and Bivol are expected to make their ring walks at approximately 2am UAE time on Sunday morning.
Are tickets still available?
There are still some tickets available, ranging from Dh100 to Dh2000. For ticket options, click here.
Which TV channels are showing the fight?
The show will be broadcast exclusively in the Middle East on DAZN.
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Villains
Queens of the Stone Age
Matador
The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
England 19 (Try: Tuilagi; Cons: Farrell; Pens: Ford (4)
New Zealand 7 (Try: Savea; Con: Mo'unga)
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
