Latest news with #DmitryBivol
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Conor Wallace is ready to ‘shoot for the stars' as he prepares for Dylan Colin fight
Conor Wallace will return to the ring this weekend to take on Dylan Colin as chief support to his stablemate Jai Opetaia vs Claudio Squeo in Australia. The Irish-born Aussie had a busy 2024, fighting three times. He outpointed Jerome Pampellone between two knockouts over Jack Gipp and Asemahle Wellem. Wallace has had a brief lay-off after having surgery on his hand but is happy for the time off and feels as though he will be back better than ever as he continues to rebuild from a loss to Leti Leti in 2021, which he avenged via knockout eighteen months later to get back on track. Wallace said: '[After a couple of hand surgeries] I've gone from strength to strength. Having that loss to Leti Leti - then rematching him and knocking him out is probably the best thing that could have happened. I got that loss out of the way, it made me hungrier. I wasn't an undefeated prospect anymore.' Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev trilogy fight - with many top-ranked fighters waiting for their opportunity. Wallace is ranked number two by the IBF and number seven by both the WBC and WBO. He said the state of the division is frustrating for the top fighters at the moment due to the uncertainty surrounding the belts. But he doesn't want to focus on that - instead relishing the opportunity to fight again and stay ready for any opportunities that may come. He said, 'It's frustrating, we have done all this good work to get to number two in the IBF.' He added: 'It is what it is, all that stuff is out of my control. My job is to stay focused, and I've got a great team around me, and I'm happy to be given the chance to stay active' Having only fought in Australia so far, Wallace has gone through all the top opposition domestically at 175 lbs and is ready to take the next step to fight internationally because he has nothing left to prove at the national level. Wallace said: 'I can't get any higher [ranked] than I am without fighting an international opponent. I've taken the risk many times in Australia with Jack Gipp and even fought the South African guy [Asemahle Wellem]. I've got everything to lose and nothing to gain in those fights.' He continued: 'We are happy to go wherever for the big fights, we have done all the hard work to get into the position I am now, so the main thing is to beat whoever they put in front of me, and no matter where that is, we will go.' The Aussie said he will fight anyone to achieve his world title dream sooner rather than later, and is not overlooking Colin, but represents the next step on his journey to the top of the light-heavyweight division. Wallace said: 'My goal is to win a world title, and I'll fight whoever for that.' He added on his future: 'There is only so long you can wait. Hopefully, everything goes to plan. I'm not overlooking this opponent, but hopefully we can get through him, and hopefully we can get a big fight towards the end of the year. You've got to shoot for the stars.'
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Callum Smith denied world title shot at Dmitry Bivol by WBO
British light heavyweight Callum Smith will have to wait for his shot at the WBO world title, despite his status as a mandatory challenger. Liverpudlian Smith earned his status as a mandatory fight for current WBO belt holder Dmitry Bivol after defeating Joshua Buatsi in February to become the organisation's interim champion at light heavyweight. Bivol became undisputed champion at 175 pounds when he defeated Artur Beterbiev in a rematch, setting up the possibility of a rubber match between the two greats of the light heavyweight division. Watch over 150 boxing events a year live on DAZN - subscribe now A third fight has been pursued by Bivol and Beterbiev, with the WBO agreeing that Bivol does not need to defend his title against Smith in order to allow the trilogy match to be made. Smith had made a formal request to the WBO to enforce his mandatory status. Taking to Twitter, WBO president Gustavo Olivieri shared: 'The WBO Championships Committee has resolved that it is in the best interests of boxing and, most importantly, the fighters themselves to permit the highly anticipated Beterbiev/Bivol Trilogy to proceed as planned. Accordingly, this decision overrides the enforcement of the WBO mandatory obligation in the Light Heavyweight Division.' The WBO also stated that they were in no position to enforce the obligation, as they were behind the IBF in the rotation for mandatory challengers. That is in stark contrast to the WBC, who stripped Bivol of his title after he chose to pursue a trilogy fight with Beterbiev over facing David Benavidez. Olivieri explained: 'Furthermore, even under the assumption that the WBO mandatory is due, the established rotation system agreement among the recognised sanctioning bodies dictates that the IBF mandatory is next in line. The WBO will respect and adhere to such order, ensuring alignment with the agreed rotational framework. As a result, Interim Champion Callum Smith will retain his status as the WBO mandatory challenger and, in the interim, is authorised to participate in voluntary bouts.' Whilst the IBF has not enforced its mandatory status since 2021, the WBO believes it is in the best interests of the sport to allow a third match between Bivol and Beterbiev to go ahead. The WBO president continued: 'This ruling underscores the exceptional significance of the Beterbiev/Bivol trilogy, a bout widely regarded as one of the most compelling matchups in contemporary boxing between two of the sport's elite competitors.' Smith is now searching for an opponent, with reports that talks have begun with fellow Briton Anthony Yarde for a bout in August. However, no deal has yet been reached. Olivieri went on to confirm that if Yarde was to be victorious over Smith, then he would become the new interim champion, and as such, the mandatory challenger for the WBO light heavyweight title.
Campaign ME
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Here's Campaign Middle East's Saudi ‘Work' picks
Campaign Middle East features an annual double-page spread of selected Work from the Kingdom in its Saudi Arabia Report. Here is the 2025 round-up of some 'made-for-KSA, by-KSA' campaigns, featuring Saudi work from Riyadh Season, Rexona Arabia and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, HungerStation, Foodics, Budget Saudi, Beyond ONE – Virgin Mobile KSA, Disney+ MENA, Golden Chicken, AROYA Cruises and Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota. The Last Crescendo – Riyadh Season Agency: BigTime Creative Shop This cinematic film aims to capture the drama of the highly anticipated rematch between light-heavyweight boxers Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Set in a grand European opera house, The Last Crescendo tells the story of the two boxers through three dramatic acts. Directed by Alan Masferrer and shot over four days in Serbia, the film blends the art of opera with the raw drama of boxing. The soundtrack, composed by Philip Kay, was written specifically for the film, adding another layer of emotional depth. Quit Screens To Scenes – Budget Saudi Agency: FP7 McCann Saudi To redefine how people celebrate special moments, Budget Saudi launched a campaign to encourage Saudi audiences to take virtual expressions of celebration into reality. The campaign invited consumers to share details on special moments, whether a birthday, promotion or a personal achievement. Those who celebrated online were brought together by Budget for a real-world celebration supported by emoji-style hearts, claps and confetti. The car rental company also leveraged influencer Abdulaziz Bakr, someone who is typically only seen on a screen, to the activation in an effort to foster a deeper sense of community beyond the screen. We're Coming – Rexona Arabia x Saudi Arabian Football Federation Agency: ‿and us To celebrate the unstoppable determination of the Saudi Arabia Women's National Football Team, this campaign showcases the team's grit, resilience and relentless pursuit of their goals as they continue to break boundaries and inspire a new generation of athletes in the Kingdom. Narrated through the voices of young girls who dream of a future in football along with the National Team themselves, the campaign underscores a collective vision: the Saudi Women's National Team is not stopping until they achieve whatever they set out to achieve. Social Feed – HungerStation Agency: VML Dubai HungerStation introduced Social Feed – an AI-powered feature that allows users to turn any food post on social media into an orderable dish. The campaign taps into changing consumer behaviours, particularly the influence of social media on food choices. It also builds on HungerStation's ongoing efforts to rethink how users engage with food delivery. By blending social media habits with ordering, HungerStation created a platform where food seen online is now part of its menu. 10 Years – Foodics Agency: Foodies Block The cloud-based restaurant management tech and payments platform celebrated 10 years through this campaign by prompting audiences towards nostalgic moments with reflections on how restaurants operated 10 years ago. 'Remember when paper was used to take orders?'; 'remember waiting in long lines just to place an order?'; 'remember paying in cash and struggling to find spare change?' With a teaser reel followed by a brand video and four short-form social media videos, which were amplified through Saudi influencers, Foodics organically gathered more than 3.2 million impressions within the first week of the campaign's launch. Switch – Beyond ONE Group – Virgin Mobile KSA Agency: Swing This relatable integrated campaign promotes Virgin Mobile KSA's Switch Postpaid Plan by drawing inspiration from the daily inefficiencies that have consumers overpaying for underused experiences. The brand took a comedic route to bring its brand values of heartfelt service, delightful surprise, smart disruption and insatiable curiosity to life. Three hero films served as the centrepiece for the campaign, accompanied by a media mix of social media, digital-out-of-home, digital platforms and point-of-sale placements to ensure maximum visibility and impact. The Curse of Anything – Golden Chicken Agency: Tarek Nour Saudi Arabia This campaign taps into the universal problem of deciding what's for dinner, and the most common response to that question from friends, colleagues, and family: 'Anything!' While it might seem like a straightforward answer, the response frequently leads to a stressful and overwhelming decision-making process, especially for young mothers and busy individuals. To address this, Golden Chicken positions its products as a solution, simplifying the decision and providing the perfect meal solution. Watch and Live The Stories – Disney+ MENA Agency: Science & Sunshine To tie together Saudi storytelling with iconic entertainment options available on the streaming platform, Disney+ MENA released three short videos on its Disney+ Saudi Arabia Instagram account, inviting audiences to showcase how mainstream entertainment becomes a part of everyday Saudi households. Picking from six of its top performing content offerings, the campaign showcases fine-dining kabsa inspired by Disney's Ratatouille and FX's The Bear, Wolverine-inspired toothbrush claws, and a father singing beloved Disney tunes. From dallah coffee pitchers and folded ghutras by the door, every scene hints at how the streaming platform is immersed in Saudi culture and households. Toyota Reclaims Toyota – Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota Agency: Serviceplan Experience To address a digital challenge in Saudi Arabia, where local consumers commonly search for their vehicles using informal Arabic nicknames (terms the company's official website couldn't use), Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota leveraged off-page SEO techniques to turn a technical obstacle into a creative breakthrough. Serviceplan Experience developed an off-page SEO strategy that placed the informal nicknames into backlinks and anchor tags. Collaborating with trusted publishers and bloggers, the team ensured these high-volume terms linked back to Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota's website. Yalla, AROYA Cruises – AROYA Cruises Agency: Social Clinic Former Real Madrid football star Cristiano Ronaldo, who now plays for Saudi football club Al-Nassr FC, has been spotted in a new advertising campaign, alongside his partner Georgina Rodríguez, for AROYA Cruises, the cruise line owned by Cruise Saudi, a PIF-funded company. The campaign took a cinematic, playful approach – offering a glimpse into how Ronaldo and Rodríguez turn a regular day at home into a spark of cruise excitement. To see the print version of the Saudi Work section, check out page 16-17 here.
Japan Times
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Dmitry Bivol beats Artur Beterbiev for undisputed light heavyweight title
Riyadh – Russian Dmitry Bivol avenged a previous defeat to take the undisputed light heavyweight world title from Artur Beterbiev via a majority decision in an epic rematch in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The judges scored the fight in Riyadh 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113. The previous encounter last October, when both went toe-to-toe as unbeaten champions, ended with exactly the same score but in favor of Russian-born Canadian Beterbiev, who added the WBA belt to his WBC, WBO and IBF titles.
Reuters
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Bivol takes Beterbiev's undisputed light-heavyweight world title
RIYADH, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Russian Dmitry Bivol took Russian-born Canadian Artur Beterbiev's undisputed light-heavyweight world boxing title on a majority points decision in their rematch in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The judges scored the fight in Riyadh 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113. The previous fight last October went by exactly the same score to Beterbiev.
