A characteristically slow start was importantly overshadowed by a strong finish in the championship rounds as Artur Beterbiev’s aggressive pressure and never-ending jeopardy behind his punching power saw the 39-year-old edge past Dmitry Bivol to win undisputed light-heavyweight honours after a 12-round technical battle between two unbeaten champions that didn’t disappoint.
Beterbiev defies father time again in Bivol battle
114-114, 115-113, 116-112: Artur Beterbiev (c) bt. Dmitry Bivol (c) via majority decision, becomes undisputed light-heavyweight world champion
- Beterbiev becomes 175lb king, 25 years since Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr managed the same feat with a UD12 win over Reggie Johnson
- 39-year-old admits he could’ve performed better, didn’t entirely follow the gameplan but doesn’t know why – maybe his knee or external factors – and admits he sometimes needs to “sleep” for a couple of rounds to wake up and ultimately, this 12-round decision resembled that
- Rematch, why not? “Congrats to Artur and his team, he deserves it. I don’t know, just did my job and felt I could do better – always feel that way – I didn’t see the fight, he won so what can I say? Of course if I have the chance then yes, this is my dream,” Bivol says post-fight
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — Last summer, we had Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence Jr at welterweight. This past May, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury dared to be crowned heavyweight king and will run it back on Christmas week this year. Five months later and two weight divisions lower, boxing fans were treated to a high-quality chess match which left everyone immediately demanding a rematch in 2025.
Artur Beterbiev acknowledged feeling uncomfortable, as he and team waited patiently after leaving his fate in the hands of judges for the first time as a pro. His 20-fight stoppage streak ended by a clever and calculated compatriot in the biggest fight of their careers, on a night many felt Dmitry Bivol had done enough to win.
That’s the subjectivity of scoring rounds in boxing for you, laid bare. Beterbiev ultimately becomes the first undisputed light-heavyweight champion in the four-belt era and while a second bout feels inevitable, the scale of his achievement is magnified by just how injury-prone – 39 and not getting any younger – he’s been.
Since a 10th-round TKO win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019, the Russian-born Quebec resident had defended his world titles just five times before this contest and had bouts repeatedly fall through or rescheduled through injury. The latest one, a meniscus surgery, threatened to see him get old overnight at the wrong time.
You could be forgiven for thinking that would be the case through three rounds, as Bivol took control early in what proved a naturally tense start.
Jabbing to the body and landing combinations wherever possible, the older man’s subtle movements and sneaky right hand punches – one to finish the first round – meant the long-reigning WBA champion couldn’t afford to make any silly mistakes unless he wanted to be the latest on Beterbiev’s daunting stoppage resume.
Bivol boxed well off the back foot while Beterbiev was noticeably measured with his output, thinking more and throwing less. Emboldened to open up more early in round three, Bivol connected flush on a combo but needed to exercise more caution as Beterbiev’s punches – even those partially blocked – had a noticeable impact.
They traded briefly at the end of another close round, Beterbiev starting to warm up as he absorbed more flurries before landing a disguised body shot early in the fourth. Stalking his prey but unable to pin Bivol down in one fell swoop, he unloaded a few more rights as Bivol shelled up while retreating, then fired back off the ropes.
The 33-year-old’s lateral movement was being stress-tested far more than during his UD12 win over Canelo Alvarez two years ago, something he would’ve studied in preparation for a relentless machine getting better as time wears on.
Bivol’s jab made Beterbiev think twice before throwing caution to the wind, bobbing and weaving his way out of trouble with the high defensive guard for protection in round five as Artur’s attacks hit the gloves and arms rather than his face.
They exchanged cuffing right hands, Beterbiev getting the Riyadh crowd stirring after landing a powerful jab and pressing forward, as the bell came to Bivol’s aid having traded a little too much for comfort in the final half-minute.
Through five rounds, Bivol probably led 3-2. Beterbiev’s earlier body punching began to take a subtle toll and he had a pro-Bivol crowd on his side now, the intensity increasing as both enjoyed moments of success in a round where Bivol’s screw left jab almost froze his fellow unbeaten champion. More of the same, anyone?
Beterbiev needed to crank up the activity and answered the call in a seventh round where, again, both could’ve edged it. Bivol used time to great effect, throwing more flurries and combinations in the spaces where Beterbiev didn’t commit.
Judges’ scoring
Manuel Oliver Palomo — 114-114 (Bivol 1-2, 4, 7-9 and nothing else)
Glenn Feldman — 115-113 Beterbiev (Bivol 1-2, 4, 8-9)
Pawel Kardyni — 116-112 Beterbiev (Bivol 1-2, 8-9)
By the same token though, that success gave him a false sense of security as he unloaded a bit more than you’d expect and found himself immediately punished – the stanza’s final minute called for evasive action as Beterbiev blitzed ahead.
Into the eighth and Bivol’s power hooks were narrowly whizzing by the target, Beterbiev doing the same during a round the younger man wisely kept at his own speed. Maintaining it was going to be the conundrum.
He managed to do it excellently in the ninth, landing his left hand on several occasions as well as body-head-body combos with Beterbiev’s intermittent pressure up close not enough to deter his attacks.
Then, Artur produced a better stanza and connected on more of his punches while finishing it strong with another spirited burst. Precisely the sort of sequence that can often change the perception of a round in the judges’ mind, hence why they call it a swing round that could go either way.
If the tenth was close, Beterbiev won R11 clear. Bivol would unload, he would absorb then replicate it and throw uppercuts in the pocket as Bivol teetered away, trying to halt the momentum surge by tying up momentarily. The visual of Bivol shelling up wasn’t a good look as Beterbiev timed his blitzing pummel attacks well and you could sense it was still all to play for, heading into the final stanza.
Bivol landed a trio of combos to push Beterbiev back, but only briefly, as the exhausting pressure persisted before Bivol was again warned for pulling the head down when initiating work in the clinch.
He didn’t seem to mind, trying to avoid a late avalanche of pressure, though Beterbiev threw more power punches hunting for a definitive say and ultimately his workrate down the stretch proved decisive in a fight of the smallest margins.
Bivol’s promoter Eddie Hearn was very unhappy, particularly with the 8-4 scorecard in Beterbiev’s favour and you can understand why.
That’s not to say the right man didn’t win even if many saw it in Bivol’s favour, but after watching former WBA light-middleweight champion Israil Madrimov – he and Bivol share manager Vadim Kornilov – fall narrowly short against Crawford in August, it’s another rough case of deja vu in a legacy-defining fight for the Matchroom chief.
Stay tuned, more post-fight analysis to follow…
Picture source: Mark Robinson (Matchroom) and Getty Images
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