Bivol blanks Arthur, retains 175 title; undisputed fight likely next
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Dmitry Bivol scored an 11th-round knockdown, nearly got a knockout in the 12th and scored a shutout decision over Lyndon Arthur to retain the WBA light heavyweight title on Saturday on the “Day of Reckoning” mega DAZN PPV card at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Bivol, who made his 11th title defense, won 120-107 on all three scorecards as he put on a clinic and did his part to punch his way into a possible undisputed four-belt unification fight with the winner of the Jan. 13 bout between three-belt champion Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs), 38, a Russia native fighting out of Montreal, and WBC mandatory challenger Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs), 33, of England, a former super middleweight champion.
It’s a fight the Saudis are interested in and they are ready and willing to pay for it.
“He was in good shape and I’m glad at the end of the year I got this fight, and now I see my way to my goal to undisputed against he winner of Beterbiev-Smith,” Bivol said. “I hope this fight will happen in 2024; next fight.”
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