Artur Beterbiev defeats Bivol by majority decision and becomes undisputed champion

Artur Beterbiev defeats Dmitry Bivol by majority decision in a fight contested in Saudi Arabia, becoming the undisputed light heavyweight champion.

Artur Beterbiev scored a majority decision victory over Dmitry Bivol in a fight held in Saudi Arabia, becoming the undisputed light heavyweight champion. This duel between two undefeated guys captivated boxing fans, and for good reason: it was a fight of opposing styles, Bivol with his technique and quick footworket Beterbiev, known for his brutal power and constant pressure.

Bivol got off to a good start, using his jab to keep Beterbiev at bay and scoring points with his combinations. But, as always, Beterbiev wasn’t there to dance around the ring. Round after round, he pursued Bivol like a tank, seeking to close the distance and impose his pace. From the fourth round, we saw a change: Beterbiev started to pin Bivol against the ropesand although Bivol still had moments of brilliance with his counterattacks, he clearly felt the power of the Russian champion.

In the intermediate rounds, Beterbiev started connecting his heavy shots, especially to the body, which slowed Bivol down. Bivol’s face, especially under the left eye, was beginning to show the effects of the strikes. However, it was not a one-sided match: on several occasions, Bivol was able to respond with strikes of his own, notably in the seventh round where he briefly shook Beterbiev, before the latter came back with a series of violent blows ​.

Beterbiev narrowly wins against Bivol in controversial fight

The judges finally rendered a split verdict: 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112 in favor of Beterbiev. This result left many fans and analysts perplexed, as the statistics showed that Bivol threw more punches. However, Beterbiev’s constant pressure and powerful punches clearly influenced the judges.

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Bivol, as humble as ever, did not look for excuses after his defeat. He recognized Beterbiev’s superiority in this fight, while expressing his desire for a rematch. “ Why not a revenge? It’s my dream to be the undisputed champion“, he said after the fight. Could a trilogy between these two monsters be on the horizon?

Beterbiev, for his part, admitted to not being comfortable going all the way in a fight for the first time in his career. “ I prefer to finish before the bell, but today was different«