Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol begin the final countdown for the high stakes bout to determine the world's greatest light heavyweight

Eddie Hearn is one of the world's most ubiquitous boxing promoters. If there is a big fight somewhere in the world, chances are good Hearn can be found at ringside.

A year ago, Riyadh Season kicked off with a non-title heavyweight bout between then-WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Hearn, however, was nowhere to be found.

As he watched Fury battle Ngannou, he knew he needed to be involved, so he quickly reached out to HE Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia responsible for the infusion of money into the sport in Riyadh Season.

"I remember sitting in my hotel room [on Oct. 28, 2023] watching Fury against Ngannou," Hearn said Thursday. "I didn't think it would be very good. I didn't think it would be very big at all. I was unusually wrong. I sat there and I thought to myself, 'Why aren't I there? Why aren't I involved?' And after I slid into His Excellency's DMs -- to a lot of unanswered DMs, by the way -- eventually I got invited. He told me this project, this dream, this love of boxing for Riyadh Season was going to be a fast-moving train. No one expected it to move at the speed of light. In one year, the sport has completely changed."

Hearn then listed off the major shows that Riyadh Season put together, before eventually getting to the undisputed light heavyweight title fight on Saturday at Kingdom Arena between unbeaten champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

Beterbiev is the IBF-WBC-WBO champion with a 20-0 record and 20 knockouts. Bivol is the WBA champion with a 23-0 record and 12 KOs.

"For me as a fight fan, it's probably the best of the lot," Hearn said.

There's a lot to be said for that. It's easy to pair two evenly matched boxers and get a good fight, but when you talk about the two best in the world -- Beterbiev is No. 4 and Bivol is No. 6 pound-for-pound --  fighting for significant stakes, it ups the ante considerably.

Beterbiev barely says anything publicly and almost never shows any emotion in public, but he got annoyed by Hearn, who promotes Bivol. Hearn called Beterbiev arrogant and then predicted a Bivol victory.

Beterbiev turned to Hearn when it was his turn to speak and said, "You talk a lot." Hearn didn't miss a beat and said, "It's my job. You should try it."

For all the great things he does, Beterbiev is the worst when it comes to talking and promoting his fights. But as long as he keeps doing what he's done, few are going to complain.

Hearn, understanding the need to drum up business, was in rare form on Thursday at the final news conference. 

"I believe Dmitry Bivol will become undisputed world champion," Hearn said. "On Saturday night, he will achieve his lifelong dream. He fights to the level of opposition and he has the greatest opponent in the division in front of him on Saturday night. There is only one man in the world who could beat Artur Beterbiev, and that's Dmitry Bivol, and that will happen on Saturday night."

Bivol is a -145 favorite at DraftKings sportsbook, with Beterbiev at +120. Bivol exuded confidence and said he's not intimidated by Beterbiev's record or power.

He pointed out he defeated Canelo Alvarez and followed that with a whitewashing of the-then 44-0 Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez.

"Every time I think about my opponents, I get excited," Bivol said. "One of them [Alvarez] is the face of boxing. It was exciting to fight against this guy. Another one [Ramirez] had around 50 fights and never lost. Another guy was a champion. So it makes me more excited, not nervous. And Artur is a great champion. He has what I want. He has the belts. And it's not only about belts. When I look at his skills, I want to check my skills also against this amazing fighter.”

Beterbiev has been ready to fight for a while and could barely contain his angst about having to sit through all of the talking that is done at a news conference for a major bout.

He didn't want to discuss strategy or future opponents or past opponents. When he had an opportunity, he looked at Bivol and icily said, "Be ready, Dmitry. I will be ready."

It wasn't much, but it's all we've got.

It's all we've got until Saturday, that is, when the two greatest light heavyweights in the world, and two of its best fighters go head-to-head for all the marbles. 

Undoubtedly, the sanctioning bodies in short order will ruin the work that Alalshikh, the promoters and the two fighters have put in to get to one champion by eventually stripping the winner of his belts.

It's boxing and that's how it works, and no one cares to solve the problem.

Those who have a passion for the sport know, however, that no matter what any sanctioning body says, no matter who they give the belts to, the winner on Saturday is not only the greatest light heavyweight in the world today but will take a seat at a table with the best to ever do it.

That is why everyone who follows the sport so closely is so eager for this bout.