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Artur Beterbiev secured a controversial majority decision victory over Dmitry Bivol in a 12-round battle of elite light heavyweights, marking the first time in his career that he went the distance. The bout, held on the undercard of a major event, saw Beterbiev’s relentless aggression face off against Bivol’s speed and technical precision, with the judges ultimately awarding the win to Beterbiev.
Throughout the fight, Beterbiev constantly pressured Bivol, relying on his power to land heavy shots while attempting to break through his opponent's defense. Meanwhile, Bivol showcased impressive hand speed, combining slick footwork with multi-punch combinations to score points and avoid prolonged exchanges. Bivol appeared to take the early rounds, using his jab effectively, but Beterbiev found success later with his more damaging punches.
The fight was close throughout, with both fighters having strong moments. However, when it went to the scorecards, the decision sparked controversy. The judges scored the bout 116-112 and 115-113 for Beterbiev, while the third judge had it even at 114-114, resulting in a majority decision favoring Beterbiev. This victory improved Beterbiev’s record to 21-0 and crowned him the undisputed light heavyweight champion.
“I feel not bad,” Beterbiev admitted afterward. “I did not do good today. I didn’t like this fight but I’ll be better one day. It’s not tough. It’s a little bit uncomfortable.”
Despite his dissatisfaction, Beterbiev credited Bivol for making it a tough fight, acknowledging his skills and resilience. Bivol, who suffered his first professional loss and fell to 23-1, accepted the defeat with grace, praising Beterbiev’s performance.
“I am a warrior,” Bivol said. “I don’t have any explanation because it would look like excuses. I just congratulate Artur and his team, he deserves it.”
Though the outcome left some questioning the judge’s decision, both fighters delivered an intense contest. Given the close nature of the fight and the aftermath, a rematch between Beterbiev and Bivol seems likely.
I had Bivol winning the first few rounds I had a couple of close rounds that could've went either way then Beterbiev taking Control of the rest of the fight. I thought Beterbiev won the fight but can see how the one judge saw it as a draw. Bivol was fighting a almost 40 year old, Fresh off of a knee surgery weakened version of Beterbiev,that was still more than he could handle. I believe Beterbiev could have stopped Bivol had he started a couple rounds earlier. The knee surgery and father time affected Beterbiev's power . Father time is catching up with Beterbiev, I hope the undisputed champion retires undisputed!
Tony loco LoCoco