Bivol Dethrones Beterbiev To Become Undisputed; Trilogy Lined Up

Dmitry Bivol came out on top to get revenge on Artur Beterbiev with a majority decision win to become the Undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion. 

Bivol came through adversity to give Beterbiev his first loss and set up a trilogy. Coming into this fight, Bivol said he would throw more. He lived up to his word in the opening round, letting fly with a four-punch combination. Bivol continued to press the action, throwing punches in bunches to pierce Beterbiev’s guard in the second.

Another good round followed in the third, as Bivol sat down on his shots with a five-punch combo. But Beterbiev landed a heavy right hand before the end of the third. That right hand buzzed Bivol, as Beterbiev took control in round four. He landed more right hands as Bivol was cut under his right eye. Beterbiev was now increasing his output in rounds five and six, forcing Bivol into a defensive position. 

However, Beterbiev began to slow down. The 40-year-old’s age was beginning to show. Bivol’s jab was doing enough in rounds eight and nine to score points. The crowd could sense the tide was turning. Beterbiev fought back with strong shots to the body in the tenth, only for Bivol to respond with a three-punch combination. In the final round, Beterbiev needed a knockdown. Beterbiev stalked Bivol, catching him with his right hand. Bivol clinched before returning fire, as he held on to secure the biggest win of his career: 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113. 

Reaction

“I’m just so happy. [Compared with the last fight], I was better, I was pushing myself more, I was more confident, I was lighter.” He said it was hard to keep Beterbiev at a distance in the first few rounds but then he saw that Beterbiev was tired and he stepped it up. “I’m ready for any challenge in the future, but I want to rest a bit cos I had some injuries in the summer and this time I had some injuries and was using some anti-inflammation. So I want to heal myself,” Bivol

“We’re going to do the third fight,” Beterbiev

“In the boxing ring, you have to be consistent, offensively and defensively, and I just think there was a little bit more consistency coming from Bivol – in the judges’ eyes, not mine. [Beterbiev] didn’t show it, but when he was slowing down a little bit – that’s what that was,” Shawn Porter

“I want to see it again. I think the first one was great, the second was even better, and you need to draw a line under with a third,” Anthony Joshua

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Full Card

Dmitry Bivol defeated Artur Beterbiev by majority decision (12 rounds) to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion (WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF, Ring Magazine).

Joseph Parker knocked out Martin Bakole in round 2 (12-round fight) to keep his WBO interim heavyweight title.

Shakur Stevenson stopped Josh Padley in round 9 to retain his WBC lightweight title.

Carlos Adames and Hamzah Sheeraz fought to a split draw (12 rounds), so Adames kept his WBC middleweight title.

Vergil Ortiz beat Israil Madrimov by unanimous decision (12 rounds) to keep his WBC interim super welterweight title.

Agit Kabayel stopped Zhilei Zhang in round 6 to win the vacant WBC interim heavyweight title.

Callum Smith defeated Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision (12 rounds) to win the WBO interim light heavyweight title.

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