All Set For The 'The Last Crescendo'

The opening media event ahead of ‘The Last Crescendo’, set for Riyadh on 22nd February, took place in London on Monday evening.

The scheduled card, considered by many to be the best and most competitive in modern boxing history, were mostly in attendance at Outernet on Charing Cross Road, with the headline attraction being the undisputed light heavyweight world championship fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol.

On the Queensberry side of business, two world title fights feature, along with an Interim world heavyweight title showdown.

Daniel Dubois will defend his IBF world heavyweight title against former WBO world champion Joseph Parker in a battle beween, arguably, the two form-fighters of the division.

Dubois comes into fight off of wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua, while Parker has defeated Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang in his last two.

Hamzah Sheeraz will challenge for the WBC middleweight championship of the world against the holder Carlos Adames. No.1 contender Sheeraz defeated Liam Williams, Austin Williams and Tyler Denny across 2024 to secure his position and become recognised as the future force of the division.

At heavyweight, the Big Bang, Zhilei Zhang and Agit Kabayel will fight for the WBC Interim world championship in a 50-50 collision. Zhang, formerly WBO Interim champion, defeated Wilder last time out, with Kabayel registering wins over previously undefeated contenders Arslanbek Makhmudov and Frank Sanchez in his last two fights.

Also on the bumper card, Vergil Ortiz Jr will defend his WBC Interim super welterweight world title against Israil Madrimov and WBC world lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson will defend his belt against undefeated young talent Floyd Schofield.

The Brits will be at war at light heavyweight, with WBO Interim world champion Joshua Buatsi defending against former super middleweight world champion Callum Smith.

“We thank everybody involved in making this happen,” said promoter Frank Warren. “We are starting 2025 with a huge card, certainly the biggest one I can think of. Every fight on the card is amazing, they are well matched 50-50 fights and the main event is loved by connoisseurs, with the rematch made very quickly. It doesn’t get any better.

“The rest of the card is brilliant and it is a pleasure for me to be involved with the British contingent. They are tough fights, great fights and I think we are going to get something extra, extra, extra special on the night.”