Do you have to love what you do to be great at it? Undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev has achieved unparalleled success in boxing, but the 39-year-old has claimed he is not a big fan of the sport. The Russian-Canadian boxer will get in the ring against rival and fellow countryman Dmitry Bivol on February 22nd, headlining a stacked card. 

The last time these two boxers entered the ring—it was an absolute war—with each fighter wailing heavy blows on each other. While it looked to many as if former WBA light heavyweight champion Bivol had done enough to pull off a victory, the actual scorecard crowned Beterbiev as the winner via a majority decision. 

Now, they will enter the ring one more time to settle the debate about who is the best fighter in the light heavyweight division. However, ahead of the fight, Beterbiev appeared in an interview with Zeeshan Ali on his YouTube channel Smile2Jannah, where he revealed his relationship with boxing, which promptly got him labeled Nikola Jokić of Boxing.

Speaking to Beterbiev, Zeeshan probed the champion about his dream fight against anyone from the history of the sport. While many would have thought Beterbiev would name someone like Roy Jones Jr., who happens to be the last undisputed light heavyweight champion, Beterbiev’s answer was shocking, to say the least.

“I’m not really [a] fan of boxing,” he began. “And I am not dreaming about fighting someone. This is like my job—I don’t like my job. I’m not [a] fan of this sport.” So, the question is what does Beterbiev dream about? This was the exact same question, Zeeshan asked Beterbiev next. The champion revealed he has even better things to dream about. 

“[I dream to] live in this ‘Dunia’ to earn—or how can I say that—to get Akhirah, Jannah,” Beterbiev told Zeeshan. The term ‘Dunia’ refers to the world, and ‘Akhirah’ is an Arabic term that refers to the afterlife or ‘the Hereafter.’ It is a core belief in Islam and is central to both Sunni and Shi’a Islam. And ‘Jannah’ basically means heaven. 

What Beterbiev truly aspires to is earning a place in heaven when his time on Earth comes to an end. Interestingly, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić has previously revealed that he doesn’t like the life of a basketball player, and the fame that comes along with it. “Being famous, I think some people like it,” he said in an interview.

“I don’t, really. When I finish my career, I really wish nobody knows me, and I really wish my kid, or kids in the future, really remember me as a dad, not as a basketball player.” This prompted ‘Source of Boxing’ to brand Beterbiev ‘the Jokić of boxing’ on Instagram. That said, the pay-per-view prices for his upcoming fight against Bivol have been revealed.

Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol pay-per-view details

The highly anticipated rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol headlines Saudi Arabia’s star-studded boxing megacard on February 22, 2025, with surprisingly affordable pay-per-view pricing.

Turki Alalshikh, the driving force behind Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in boxing, announced that PPV costs would be capped at $25.99 USD globally and £19.99 in the UK, a fraction of typical prices for marquee events.

This main event crowns a lineup being hailed as one of boxing’s greatest cards, featuring Daniel Dubois vs. Joseph Parker as the co-main event, alongside bouts involving Shakur Stevenson, Zhilei Zhang, and Vergil Ortiz Jr.

The event highlights Saudi Arabia’s commitment to making elite boxing more accessible while delivering unforgettable matchups to fans worldwide. All major titles and reputations are on the line.

It appears Artur Beterbiev proves you don’t have to love what you do to be great at it. All it takes is hard work and determination. However, it indeed is surprising to learn that Beterbiev treats the sport like a 9 to 5 job. But does that make him similar to Nikola Jokić?