From what we're hearing here in Quebec, the climate seems pretty pretty good so it happens in a few months; Duva wants it, Yvon Michel wants it, Kovalev wants it and Beterbiev REALLY wants it. Beterbiev will be declared the mandatory in a few days after Krusher demolished Mohammedi. All the pieces are here and there is no television network feuds like with Stevenson so my bet is that it'll be officially announced within a month.
As for experience, Beterbiev is REALLY a monster and has all his chances (in my opinion) against Kovalev; he's pretty fast, he'S very technical and he hits damn hard too (and we have seen that Kovalev's solid but not made of steel neither). And Beterbiev did beat Kovalev in the amateurs... twice.