Bivol-Beterbiev, the provocation: beautiful in Moscow at the stadium of the 2018 World Cup final?

The finale of the Bivol-Beterbiev trilogy for the “undisputed” light heavyweight boxing world championship at the Luzhniki Arena in Moscow, the stadium of the 2018 World Cup final. In front of one hundred thousand fans excited to see which of the two Russian compatriots will emerge victorious from the most important and technically credible saga in modern boxing. It would be a challenge capable of reviving, also through this evocative location, the glories of the great trilogies of the past . Above all Ali-Frazier. But also Benvenuti-Griffith, Patterson-Johansson, Gatti-Ward, Zale-Graziano, Leonard-Duran, Pacquiao-Morales and other lesser-known, but equally intriguing, ones.

The proposal for Moscow to host the “beautiful” match between the two champions was formally put forward by the president of the International Boxing Association (IBA) Umar Kremlev, who is also Russian, needless to say, a few days after Dmitri Bivol (24-1) won on points over Arthur Beterbiev (21-1) in the rematch of the match of the year played on Saturday night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Beterbiev won the first on points. "I think a third challenge between Artur and Dmitri is necessary, as their challenge, which was the event of the year, has just shown," Kremlev said in a statement from the IBA. "These guys are the best boxers in their category. Whatever the cost, we would like to bring the fight to Moscow, and we are starting negotiations. I imagine the match at the Luzhniki stadium with an audience of around one hundred thousand spectators."

We will soon find out how much the proposal is just a way to draw attention to the IBA, the world federation banned by the IOC, but richer than its competitor World Boxing and seeking credibility, and how much it is a concrete proposal. Also in light of how the peace negotiations on the conflict in Ukraine will develop. It is difficult to think, in fact, that in the current situation of isolation and sanctions, Russia could host an event of this kind. But from the other point of view, the match could turn into a tool for international détente through sport.

The first peace talks on Ukraine between the US and Russia took place in Saudi Arabia. And the architect of the Bivol-Beterbiev saga is the minister of the Arab government Turki Alalshikh, who has made major sporting events a tool for the economic, tourist and political development of his country. On Saturday night, at the end of the match, Turki climbed into the ring showing the defeated Beterbiev his hand with three fingers raised. So there is the intention to complete the trilogy. It is economically convenient, not just sportingly, for everyone: boxers, organizers, promoters. The “Riyadh Season”, the brand chosen for Alalshikh’s sports project, has already exported meetings to Australia, Great Britain and the United States, is a shirt sponsor of Roma in football and intends to expand as much as possible in the world. What better occasion to do so than a Bivol-Beterbiev III in Moscow, in front of one hundred thousand spectators?