His trilogy fight fell through: now Artur Beterbiev is heading to Riyadh for something different
The Russian fighter hasn’t stepped into the ring since February and won’t be fighting for a title for the first time in eight years.
Artur Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) suffered the first defeat of his professional career at the hands of Dmitry Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs), and ever since that night in February, his future in boxing had been clouded by uncertainty. But the Russian light heavyweight now has a date for his return to the ring.
When will Beterbiev fight again?
After failing to finalize a trilogy bout with his compatriot, the 40-year-old will fight again on November 22, 2025, against Deon Nicholson (22-1, 18 KOs), according to Ring Magazine. The bout will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of the card headlined by the showdown between David Benavidez and Anthony Yarde.
This will mark the first time since 2017 that Beterbiev enters a fight not competing for a world title. The last time he fought without a belt on the line was back in 2016, when he knocked out Paraguay’s Isidro Ranoni Prieto in Canada. In his very next outing, he defeated Germany’s Enrico Koelling to win the IBF light heavyweight title.
Former undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev will begin his road to redemption on November 22 as part of The Ring IV 'Night of The Champions' in Riyadh. Beterbiev will collide with another dangerous puncher in Deon Nicholson, who has 18 knockouts in his 22 wins. pic.twitter.com/mQKJNovt99
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) August 6, 2025
Had the third fight with Bivol gone ahead, the plan was for Beterbiev to fight on home soil – he hasn’t fought in Russia since 2021. On March 20 of that year, he stopped Adam Deines in the 10th round at Moscow’s Khodynka Ice Palace. That plan, however, has been shelved. Now a Canadian resident, Beterbiev will instead take on Nicholson in Saudi Arabia.
What we know about the Night of Champions card
The card headlined by Benavidez vs Yarde and Beterbiev vs Nicholson also features three other major fights: Brian Norman Jr. will face Devin Haney at welterweight; Abdullah Mason takes on Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight title; and Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodríguez meets Fernando Daniel Martínez for the WBC and WBO junior bantamweight belts.
The event is being promoted by Top Rank, Sampson Boxing, Warriors Boxing and Queensberry Promotions, and will be sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control.
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