The Undercard for Bivol-Beterbiev: A Mixed Bag of Hits and Misses
The highly anticipated light heavyweight undisputed championship fight between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev on June 1st in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is not the only thing that boxing fans are looking forward to. The undercard, dubbed the ‘Five Vs. Five’ undercard, is expected to feature some exciting matchups. However, as with any undercard, there are some hits and misses.
The Keepers (If You Can Call Them That)
Out of the five fights on the undercard, there are two that stand out as must-watch for U.S. boxing fans: Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang and Filip Hrgovic vs. Daniel Dubois. These two fights have the potential to be explosive and are sure to capture the attention of American fans. However, the rest of the fights on the undercard may not be as appealing to U.S. audiences.
While these fights may be more appealing to UK fans, they may not be enough to entice American fans to purchase the event on pay-per-view. The headliner between Bivol and Beterbiev is not a pay-per-view fight, so the undercard will play a crucial role in attracting American viewers. But with little-known fighters like Raymond Ford and Nick Ball on the card, it may not be enough to convince American fans to shell out money for the event.
It’s important for the promoters to schedule the event at a time that works for American fans, as it could significantly impact the pay-per-view numbers. If the event is aired at an inconvenient time for U.S. viewers, it could result in poor pay-per-view sales.
The Rumored Lineup
The rumored lineup for the undercard includes some questionable choices, such as Callum Smith vs. Anthony Yarde. Both fighters were recently knocked out, so it’s unclear why they would be featured on a pay-per-view card. It may be in the best interest of the event to eliminate these fights and reduce the pay-per-view price, as they may not be enough to attract American viewers.
It’s safe to say that the majority of American fans are not familiar with fighters like Hamzah Sheeraz, Johnny Fisher, or Nick Ball. These fighters may not register with the average casual boxing fan in the U.S. and could be eliminated from the card without much backlash.
In Conclusion
While the undercard for Bivol-Beterbiev may have some exciting matchups, it’s important for the promoters to consider the audience they are trying to attract. With the right scheduling and lineup, the undercard could be a major selling point for the event. But if not carefully planned, it could end up being a mixed bag of hits and misses. Only time will tell how the undercard will ultimately shape up, but one thing is for sure: it will be a night of high-stakes and high-quality boxing.
