Beterbiev edges Bivol to be crowned undisputed light heavyweight champion

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

Beterbiev, who came into the fight as the only reigning world champion with a 100% 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 get a close decision in the highly anticipated main event.

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 only the 13th male boxer overall to become a four-belt champion. The majority of fans in attendance and on social media, in the aftermath, believed that the 116-112 scorecard was far too wide as the fight was much closer, leading to immediate discussion of a rematch with his Excellency Turki Alalshikh, believing Bivol won a close fight by two rounds.

Beterbiev made even more history by also becoming the first man to unify the 175-pund division in 25 years. There had not been an undisputed light heavyweight champion since the legendary longtime pound-for -pound king Roy Jones Jr. Did the job in 1999 by defeating Reggie Johnson to unify the three belts needed for such prestige.

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

Dmitry Bivol’s manager Vadim Kornilov has declared that they will be filling an official protest over Artur Beterbiev defeat.