Beterbiev Defeats Bivol, Becomes Unidisputed LHW Champion
By Eddie Sanchez
Artur Beterbiev became the undisputed light heavyweight champion with a majority decision win over Dmitry Bivol on Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Beterbiev secured the victory with scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 114-114, in a high-level contest between the two Russian boxers.
With the win, Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) made history as the first undisputed 175-pound champion in the four-belt era. Although his perfect KO streak ended, Beterbiev rallied in the second half of the fight, cementing his Hall of Fame legacy at age 39, following knee surgery earlier this year. Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) controlled the early rounds with sharp jabs and footwork, but Beterbiev’s relentless pressure turned the tide.
Bivol, who entered as the No. 1 light heavyweight, had the edge in experience after defeating Canelo Alvarez in 2022, but Beterbiev swept the final rounds to claim victory. Despite his loss, Bivol, who finished the fight with visible bruises, expressed interest in a rematch, and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, criticized the 116-112 scorecard in favor of Beterbiev.
The bout, filled with drama and close scoring, leaves the door open for a potential rematch, with both fighters keen to revisit the high-stakes matchup.4oChatGPT can make mistakes. Check
