Artur Beterbiev is optimistic that the short build-up to Saturday’s rematch with Dmitry Bivol will work in his favour.

The Russians again contest the undisputed light-heavyweight title, at Venue Riyadh Season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after Beterbiev won their fight in the same city in October via majority decision.

Beterbiev, 40, hadn’t fought for nine months when he entered the ring that night. His previous fight, the seven-round victory over Callum Smith, had come after the year of inactivity that followed the eight competitive rounds he shared with Anthony Yarde.

Since the narrow victory over Bivol he has also celebrated his 40th birthday, but against a fighter six years his junior he insists that the demands placed on his body – the original dates with Bivol and Smith were postponed by injuries he suffered – will lead him to victory again.

At Friday’s weigh-in he tipped the scales at the light-heavyweight limit of 175lbs, and then asked about the fact that only 133 days had passed since the toughest fight of his career, he responded: “I hope it’s good.

“Of course it’s good when a camp is going well. I hope that this fight is going to be better than the first fight.

“[This time I will] box – I try to do good boxing, you know?”

The previously undefeated Bivol – Beterbiev remains undefeated – fought and defeated Malik Zinad just four months before fighting Beterbiev, and after weighing in at 174.1lbs he said: “I’m just focused on the fight. I’ve said enough this time, and I’m just focusing on the fight and looking forward to it.

“[I will do more of] everything. More everything – just more, to win.”

Joshua Padley, the late replacement for Floyd Schofield as the challenger to the WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson, weighed in at 134lbs. 

Martin Bakole is yet to arrive in Riyadh, having agreed at only 48 hours’ notice to replace Daniel Dubois as Joseph Parker’s opponent, and so Parker’s “face off” came against his promoter, Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions.

Full weigh-in results

Twelve rounds – undisputed light heavyweight title

Artur Beterbiev – 175lbs

Dmitry Bivol – 174.1lbs

Twelve rounds – WBC lightweight title

Shakur Stevenson – 134.1lbs

Joshua Padley – 134lbs

Twelve rounds – WBC middleweight title

Carlos Adames – 158.1lbs

Hamzah Sheeraz – 159lbs

Twelve rounds – WBC interim junior-middleweight title

Vergil Ortiz Jnr – 153.1lbs

Israil Madrimov – 152.1lbs

Twelve rounds – WBC interim heavyweight title

Zhilei Zhang – 287.5lbs

Agit Kabayel – 241lbs

Twelve rounds – WBO interim light-heavyweight title

Joshua Buatsi – 175lbs

Callum Smith – 174.1lbs