Artur Beterbiev announced that he defeated Dmitry Bivol by majority decision and won the undisputed lightweight world championship.
It was a high-profile contest to crown the first undisputed lightweight champion of the four-belt era and the first since Roy Jones in 1999, which was ultimately decided by a majority decision in Beterbiev’s favor.
Coming into the fight, Bivol looked fairly unblemished, with a previously unblemished professional record that includes beating Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez and holding the WBA title since 2017.
Beterbiev was also undefeated, but is such a devastating puncher that no opponent has ever been able to go the distance with him. In the process, he combined the WBO, WBC and IBF world championships at 175 pounds.
Now he is the undisputed light-heavyweight king.
But Bivol started well. He got off to a start that may not have been perfect, but it was one he could be perfectly happy with. He started driving, doubling it up and landing.
His right lunged in. He landed shots. But Beterbiev was not transferred.
The unified champion closed in on him, focused and advanced.
He raised the pressure fraction to a fraction. In the second round, he did not fire his heavy artillery. But he stepped forward regardless, getting closer as Bivol kept him moving.
There were warning signs for Bivol in the third round. Beterbiev threw in a right, a punch that landed with an audible force.
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Newly-crowned lightweight champion Artur Beterbiev admits he’s not used to hearing the final bell.
He must have felt that explosive power, and when Bivol launched his own cross to try and dissuade Beterbiev, it didn’t happen. Instead, the unified champion went through it to throw again.
At the end of the fifth round, Beterbiev threatened again. He propelled himself forward to Bivol’s hammer, troubling him briefly before the bell.
He also started the next round with authority. Bivol grazed the ropes more often than not as he backed up. Beterbiev’s cross clipped the WBA title holder’s head. Shocked for a moment, Bivol drew in a heavy breath.
Beterbiev clenched his fists together, left, then right, as Bivol had to make evasive maneuvers.
In the seventh round, Bivol rattled off a combination and pinned Beterbiev on the ropes. But it provoked a fierce reaction from the unified champion. He burst off the ropes and stayed on Bivol, pounding him as the WBA title holder was forced to cover under pressure.
They both traded punches at the end of the eighth round, but it was a trade of the highest order, with each man keeping his gloves on the field, which he returned with as well.
It was Bivol who showed brilliant flashes in the ninth round. His back hand dropped into his body. He produced a wonderful long cross that shook Beterbiev’s head. He varied his combinations, letting punches land on Beterbiev’s head and body before taking him on the feet, moving quickly from side to side, even in this late stage of the fight.
Beterbiev felt he needed a big finish and came out to find just that in the 11th round. Bivol’s punch landed immediately, his feet slowing as he ducked under Beterbiev’s flurry of punches.
He boxed past the 12th round. It was enough to become the first person to overcome Beterbiev. But it wasn’t enough to win over the judges.
One scored the fight 114-114, but the other two saw it in Beterbiev’s favor 115-113 and 116-112.
“I don’t feel bad, I wanted to fight more, I don’t like this fight,” Beterbiev said later.
“I was a little uncomfortable.
“Of course it was a tough fight, Dmitry is a world champion and has better skills than me.
“I felt uncomfortable because I usually don’t wait for the call.”
Bivol is not complaining
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Dmitry Bivol wants a rematch with Artur Beterbiev, because his dream is to become the undisputed champion.
Bivol then said: “I am a fighter, I have to do everything perfectly, I have no explanation or excuse.
“I just congratulate Artur and his team, he deserves it.
“I did my job, I felt I could do better, I always feel I could do better, but it’s the judges’ opinion, he won.
“He’s very powerful and you can see I have a bruise on my head, he always hits so hard.”
But he wants a rematch. “If I have this opportunity, why not?” Bivol said: “My dream is to be indisputable.”
Replays of Fabio Wardley’s huge rematch with Fraser Clarke on the epic Arthur Beterbiev vs Dmitri Bivol bill continue. Sky Sports box office Sunday at 8 am and 6 pm. Book Wardley vs. Clarke 2 and Beterbiev vs. Bivol replays now!
