Former English Super Welterweight champion Adam Harper has revealed his predictions for ‘The Last Crescendo’ card headlined by Dmitry Bivol and Artur Berterbiev’s undisputed light heavyweight rematch.
Saturday night’s much anticipated Saudi Arabian lineup has been billed by Queensberry’s Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom as ‘the card of the century’, but late changes have marred two bouts. Josh Padley is in for Floyd Schofield, and Martin Bakole is in for IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois. Both withdrawn fighters fell ill in Riyadh just days before fight night.
Park Life Sport spoke to Gloucestershire’s own former Super Welterweight English champion, Adam Harper before the battle commences in the Kingdom Arena. The ‘Hurricane’ (9-2) provides us with an expert view of Saturday’s title bouts.
Harper pictured at the Utilita Arena after beating Ryan Kelly for the Midlands Super Welterweight title in 2017
Are you still excited for Saturday’s card?
“I think it’s the best card there’s probably been. In my era of boxing, since I’ve been alive and following boxing, it’s like the biggest card that I’ve seen. You can’t not be excited. As a boxing fan, even as a casual, you’d probably be excited for this kind of card, wouldn’t you?”
Martin Bakole’s coming in on late notice to replace Daniel Dubois, what do you think his chances are tomorrow?
“If Bakole would have had a full camp, he’d have beat Parker quite comfortably. I saw a picture circulating this morning, and Bakole doesn’t look in the greatest of shape, so it makes it a real 50-50, if not 60-40, in favour of Parker. It all depends on what kind of level Bakole is coming to the table at, but he didn’t look in the greatest shape in the picture. He looked quite bloated and heavy.
“But believe me, if Bakole had a camp, he’d beat Parker quite comfortably. I think he’s a real handful.
“You hear all the sparring stories with Billy Nelson, his coach. A lot of people have had horrors with him in sparring. I think he’s a bogeyman for a lot of people.”
Off ✈️to #SaudiArabia for the fight tomorrow 👊 @Turki_alalshikh @boxxer @SkySportsBoxing @RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/NikG4vd9nv
— Martin Bakole (@MartinBakole01) February 21, 2025
Moving onto the main event, how do you think it’s going to unfold this time around, will it be a repeat for Beterbiev or revenge for Bivol?
“I think Bivol will nick it on points. Not nick it as controversial, I just think he will do enough to win on points. Maybe it’ll be another split decision that will sell it out perfectly for a trilogy. Don’t get me wrong. I think both lads will have periods where they have success. They’re both world-class fighters, aren’t they?
“They’re arguably the two best light heavyweights of our generation.
“It’s probably a better way of putting it. I don’t want to sound too dramatic. I think it’ll be a really close-fought contest. I think the age is very much against Beterbiev. I just think Bivol, by two or three rounds. I know there are three judges, but I think he’ll win it by a couple of rounds. Maybe it’ll be a split decision, but I think he gets this.”
And Josh Padley is coming in, another late replacement. A huge opportunity for him. How will he fare against Shakur Stevenson?
“He’s going to get smashed to pieces, but he’s probably getting paid half a million to a million pounds.
“I would have thought after hearing rumours about what some of these boys are getting out there. Credit to him. He’s just changed his life. I heard he was changing solar panels on Monday or Tuesday. Now he’s boxing for the WBC World Title for a million quid, or whatever it might be. It might be more than a million quid at this late notice.
“He’s just changed his life straight away, but he hasn’t got a chance in a month for some days of beating Shakur Stevenson. Boxing’s about making as much money as quickly as you can and being as unscathed as possible. So, hopefully, he gets in and out and gets his money, but he’s never going to win this fight.”
‼️ Shakur Stevenson breaks his silence in an exclusive interview with The Ring and says he is highly sceptical of Floyd Schofield’s illness: “They like to come up with all types of crazy stuff.” pic.twitter.com/JxfX2lzqrI
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) February 19, 2025
Stevenson (22-0) was left disappointed by Schofield’s (18-0) withdrawal
The full fight card runs as follows from bottom to top. It can be watched on DAZN, TNT Sports and Sky Sports Box Office from 4 pm on Saturday:
Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith – For Buatsi’s WBO light heavyweight interim title
Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel – For the vacant WBC interim heavyweight title
Shakur Stevenson vs Josh Padley – For Stevenson’s WBC lightweight title
Hamzah Sheeraz vs Carlos Adames – For Adames’ WBC middleweight title
Israil Madrimov vs Vergil Ortiz Jr – For Ortiz Jr’s WBC world interim super welterweight title
Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole – For Parkers’ WBO interim heavyweight title
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol – For the Undisputed light heavyweight title fight. For Beterbiev’s WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring belts
