Dmitry Bivol triumphed over Artur Beterbiev by majority decision in a thrilling rematch held on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, claiming the title of undisputed light heavyweight champion. This victory not only marked a significant achievement for Bivol but also avenged his earlier defeat to Beterbiev four months prior, where he had faced his first career loss.
In the bout, Bivol (now 24-1 with 12 knockouts) received scores of 116-112 and 115-113 from two judges, while the third judge scored the match a 114-114 draw. This was a reversal from their first encounter, where an unbeaten Beterbiev (21-1) edged Bivol by a narrow margin with the same scorelines.
Bivol expressed his satisfaction with the win, holding all four championship belts. “The difference was just me,” he said, highlighting his determination, confidence, and improved condition leading into the rematch. “I just wanted to win so much today.” Throughout the fight, he demonstrated notable accuracy and agility, skillfully evading Beterbiev’s powerful punches while landing effective counterattacks as the match progressed.
While Beterbiev did manage to knock Bivol back with a right hand that caused a cut above Bivol’s left eye in the twelfth round, Bivol maintained his composure to secure the victory. “I’m just so happy,” Bivol remarked. “I went through a lot last year… I just wanted to work from the first round until the end of the 12th. I hoped I did enough, and I won it.”
The matchup took place at ANB Arena and served as a rematch following their captivating first bout on October 12, where Beterbiev had won by majority decision. Many fans and analysts had been critical of that decision, feeling that Bivol deserved the win, thus setting the stage for Saturday’s quick rematch.
Despite hints from Beterbiev that he felt he had won the second fight, he acknowledged the competitive nature of the bout. “I think this fight was better than the first fight,” he commented. “Now it’s my time to come back… I didn’t even want the second fight. It wasn’t my choice.” Beterbiev, who had maintained at least one light heavyweight title since 2017, showed tenacity but struggled to keep up with Bivol’s increased energy in the middle rounds.
The rematch contrasted with their first fight, where Bivol had faded in the final rounds. In this latest bout, Bivol started aggressively but had to adjust to Beterbiev’s pressure. He found success as Beterbiev began to tire, resulting in Bivol throwing more effective punches. “It was hard to keep him at a distance for the first four rounds,” Bivol noted. “But then I saw that he was tired, and I had to be smarter.” The victory solidified Bivol’s rise to stardom followed by his earlier success against Canelo Álvarez, where he stunned many boxing fans with that win.
On the undercard, New Zealand’s Joseph Parker made a significant impact by stopping Martin Bakole in the second round, thus claiming the WBO interim heavyweight title. Bakole stepped in on short notice after Daniel Dubois fell ill, but Parker showcased his boxing prowess to secure his sixth consecutive victory.
In addition, Shakur Stevenson held onto his WBC lightweight title by defeating late replacement Josh Padley, who put up a commendable fight before his corner threw in the towel after three knockdowns in the ninth round. Stevenson maintained control throughout the match but faced some criticism for not finishing the fight earlier.
