How much will Dmitry Bivol and Lyndon Arthur earn for Saudi Arabia fight? Estimated payouts reported
Dmitry Bivol and Lyndon Arthur are seemingly set to secure lucrative paydays in their upcoming boxing showdown. Bivol is the reigning WBA (Super) light heavyweight champion, who'll be looking to make his 11th title defense when he clashes against Arthur.
Their fight will take place at the highly-anticipated 'Day of Reckoning' boxing event at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 23, 2023. It'll mark Bivol's first fight in over a year.
The Russian pugilist last competed in November 2022, notching a successful title defense against Gilberto Ramirez via unanimous decision. Prior to the Ramirez fight, Bivol picked up the biggest win of his career to date, as he defended his belt by beating boxing megastar Saul Canelo Alvarez via unanimous decision in May 2022.
As reported by The Story Insiders, the Bivol vs. Arthur purses are likely to go up to around £2 million combined. The report suggested that Bivol will reportedly get a guaranteed payout of approximately £1.5m for the matchup. On the other hand, the UK's Arthur would receive a guaranteed purse of about £400,000.
The Bivol vs. Arthur salaries are significantly higher than that of most other boxing bouts. Nevertheless, the Russian boxer is no stranger to big paydays. Bivol is believed to have gotten a $5 million guaranteed payout for his fight against Saul Canelo Alvarez and a $2.5 million guaranteed pay for the Gilberto Ramirez matchup.
Dmitry Bivol has sights set on undisputed light heavyweight gold heading into 2024
The reported Dmitry Bivol vs. Lyndon Arthur payouts at the 'Day of Reckoning' event have impressed many in the boxing world, as Arthur isn't considered to be a major threat to Bivol. Furthermore, the vast majority of combat sports fans and experts have been calling for a fight between Bivol and his fellow light heavyweight titlist, Artur Beterbiev, instead.
The Russian-Canadian Artur Beterbiev is undefeated, akin to Dmitry Bivol. Besides, Beterbiev holds the WBC, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles. He's booked to defend his belts against Callum Smith.
The Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith fight was originally booked for August 2023 but postponed due to Beterbiev undergoing jaw surgery after a bone infection. Presently, the Beterbiev-Smith boxing showdown is expected to take place at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada, on January 13, 2024.
The consensus is that should Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev win their respective fights, they'll face one another next in a matchup that'll determine boxing's new undisputed light heavyweight champion. Addressing a potential match against Beterbiev after their recent tense face-off in Saudi Arabia, Bivol stated:
"I hope [we fight in 2024]. I hope we will make this fight. Maybe here [Saudi Arabia] because I know people want this fight."
Check out Bivol's comments below: