Beterbiev edges Bivol to be crowned undisputed 175 champion

Wins majority decision to become first four-belt light heavyweight king

Dan Rafael

Oct 13, 2024

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With intense pressure and punch output over the final three rounds, Artur Beterbiev defeated Dmitry Bivol by majority decision to reach the pinnacle of boxing by becoming the undisputed light heavyweight champion on Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Beterbiev, who came into the fight as the only reigning world titleholder with a perfect knockout percentage and had never heard the final bell in his 11-year career, trailed on two of the three scorecards going into the 10th round. But he swept the final three rounds to pull out a close decision in the highly anticipated main event of the Riyadh Season card, leading to immediate discussion of a rematch.

Judges Pawel Kardyni (116-112) and Glenn Feldman (115-113) scored it for Beterbiev and Manuel Oliver Palomo had it 114-114 as Beterbiev became the first four-belt undisputed light heavyweight champion and the 13th male boxer overall to become a four-belt champion. Fight Freaks Unite also had it 114-114.

Beterbiev made even more history by also becoming the first man to fully unify the 175-pound division in 25 years and just the seventh man to do so in the weight class since there became two recognized sanctioning body titles in the 1960s (the WBC and WBA). There had not been an undisputed light heavyweight champion since the legendary longtime pound-for-pound king Roy Jones Jr. did the job by routing Reggie Johnson to unify the necessary three belts needed for such status in 1999.

Beterbiev, who entered the fight as lineal champion and holder of the WBC, WBO and IBF titles, and claimed Bivol’s WBA belt, did not think he fought particularly well in a bout that matched his devastating power with Bivol’s elite boxing skills, speed and defense.

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“I feel not bad. I did not good today,” Beterbiev said. “I wanted to box today with more quality, you know. I don't know why, but I didn't like this fight. But I'll be better one day.

“Of course, it’s a tough fight because Dmitry is a world champion too. He has good skills, maybe better than me. But today, Allah chose me.”

He was good enough to eke out the close-call victory against a fellow pound-for-pound ranked fighter and a man who, like Beterbiev, had held a world title for seven years. They were the last men standing and finally met because Turki Alalshikh, who oversees the Riyadh Season events in his capacity as the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, has poured hundreds of millions into boxing over the past year and this was a fight that he, like many boxing fans, wanted to see. So, he put up enough money for each fighter to make a career-high $10 million as they took on the biggest challenge of their career.

When it was over, Bivol showed class and did not complain about the result.

“I am a warrior. I have to do everything perfect and I don't have any explanation because it could look like excuses,” Bivol said. “I just congratulate Artur and his team. He deserves it. No problem.

“I just did my job. I felt that I could have done better. I always could be better. It's just the opinion of the judges. Congratulations, Artur. I didn’t see the fight. He won. What can I say?”

His promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, however, bitterly complained despite the fight being so nip and tuck.

“Listen, I don’t want to disrespect Beterbiev,” Hearn said. “But you saw the body language. They knew they'd lost the fight. 116-112 Beterbiev? You gave Bivol four rounds? This is a joke. Of course (we want a rematch). He was robbed of the undisputed championship tonight. I cannot believe you could give Bivol four rounds. It’s absolutely disgusting.”

Carl Moretti, the vice president of Beterbiev promoter Top Rank, countered Hearn’s emotional reaction when informed of his comments.

“It’s OK to have close fights either way but it wasn’t a robbery,” Moretti said. “It was a close fight. If someone gave it 7-5 the other way, maybe.”

The fight happened more than four months later than it was supposed to. They were scheduled to fight June 1 but Beterbiev suffered a ruptured meniscus in his left knee, forcing a postponement.

Bivol knocked out late replacement Malik Zinad while Beterbiev healed, and he showed no apparent issues with the knee on Saturday, although it took him a few rounds to get in gear against Bivol, who boxed and moved on the outside to gain early control.

Bivol utilized effective jabs and countered the aggressive Beterbiev with his right hand. But while Bivol often stopped, threw punches and then quickly moved way, he also stayed tight on defense with a high guard because, like everyone, he was well aware that Beterbiev could end the fight with one punch.

Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs), 39, a two-time Russian Olympian, who has lived in Montreal for his entire pro career and became a Canadian citizen years ago, got the better of good action in the fifth round, including a landing hard straight left hand and body shot in the late going. Bivol took charge again in the seventh round until later in the round Beterbiev unleashed a barrage of shots, including a thudding right hand that forced Bivol to the ropes.

Beterbiev, who made his ninth title defense, continued to touch him with jabs in the eighth round and also landed a heavy right hand. By the end of the round, Bivol had swelling under his left eye.

“He’s powerful, very powerful and you see I have bruise from my hand. He always (landed on my hand) and it was so hard that he reached my eye,” Bivol said of the bruising and swelling.

Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs), 33, of Russia, who was making his 12th title defense, was in supreme condition and continued to move laterally as he tried to frustrate and stay away from Beterbiev’s power but Beterbiev got in a series of solid shots in the 10th round, after which his corner implored him to get a knockout.

“They always say that,” Beterbiev said with a laugh.

He continued to take it to Bivol over the final two rounds with heavy pressure and combinations that forced Bivol to clinch, although he finished the 12th round well.

According to CompuBox, Beterbiev landed 137 of 682 punches (20 percent) and Bivol landed 142 of 423 (34 percent). Each man was credited with landing 31 body punches. Beterbiev outlanded Bivol in six rounds, including the final three, which he won on all three scorecards. Bivol was credited with landing more punches in five rounds, including three of the first four, and they each landed nine shots apiece in the sixth round. They were separated by four or less punches landed in eight of the 12 rounds.

Beterbiev said he was fine going the distance for the first time.

“I’m happy for that,” Beterbiev said. “Even Muhammad Ali had fights that went all the distance.”

But he was not all that happy with his performance despite the historic victory.

“I’m always critical of myself and even though all my last 20 fights I win them by KO, I always complain about my skills,” Beterbiev said. “I don’t like what I did. I want to do more, better always.”

His trainer Marc Ramsay echoed the sentiment.

“We believe we can do even better than this,” Ramsay said. “We are very happy about all those belts but Monday morning we need to find a new objective, a new challenge and keep pushing. We started working together about 10 years ago. It’s a long journey, but we will not be satisfied with this.”

Although Beterbiev will have mandatory defenses to deal with there was talk of an immediate rematch, although neither fighter has a contractual right to one like is seen in so many high-stakes bouts. Both were open to a sequel.

“Why not? Of course, if I have this chance, yes. It is my dream to be undisputed,” Bivol said.

Alalshikh said he thought Bivol won by two rounds and said he would seek to make a rematch.

“We know (Alalshikh is) a man of his word,” Hearn said. “There has to be a rematch because there’s always going to be the controversy of that fight. What other fight is there for Artur Beterbiev? The whole world will want to see that again. I’m sure there are some that found an Artur Beterbiev victory, but everybody I know that knows boxing didn’t tell me that at ringside. It was an absolute master class.”

Ultimately, Beterbiev will decide if is willing to will give Bivol a second fight and he sounded as though he would.

“If His Excellency (Alalshikh) wants one,” Beterbiev said, “then we can do it.”