Artur Beterbiev has secured his place in boxing history by defeating Dmitry Bivol via a points decision, marking a significant achievement as he became the first undisputed light-heavyweight champion in over two decades.

At 39 years old, Beterbiev, whose record now stands at 21 wins with 20 knockouts, faced an intense challenge against his fellow Russian competitor. Despite having achieved knockouts in all of his previous fights, Beterbiev was taken the full distance by Bivol in the bout held in Riyadh early Sunday morning. The match was marked by frequent shifts in momentum, making it a closely contested affair that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

The judges’ scorecards reflected the tight nature of the fight, with two judges awarding the match to Beterbiev with scores of 115-113 and 116-112, while a third judge deemed it a draw at 114-114.

This bout was particularly notable as it represented the first undisputed title fight in the light-heavyweight division since 2002. It was also a historic moment as it highlighted the first occasion since the inception of the four-belt era where all major world titles — the WBO, WBA, IBF, and WBC — were at stake. Following this victory, Beterbiev now holds all four championship belts, solidifying his dominance in the sport.