In a historic battle for the light heavyweight title, Artur Beterbiev triumphed over Dmitry Bivol by majority decision in a thrilling contest with many momentum shifts. The scores came in at 115-113 and 116-112 in favor of Beterbiev by two judges, while a third judge called it a 114-114 draw. With this victory, Beterbiev becomes the first undisputed champion in over 20 years, unifying the WBO, WBA, IBF, and WBC titles.
Fight Analysis Beterbiev (21-0), known for his offensive power and having won all his previous fights by knockout, had to rely on tactical strategy this time to edge out Bivol on points in a closely contested bout.
That seventh round was EPIC 🤯#BeterbievBivol | #RiyadhSeason | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/YW6QFMHVdl
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 12, 2024
The fighters exchanged control throughout the rounds, but Beterbiev began to gain momentum in the later stages.
'I feel not bad' 😅
The reaction you'd expect from @ABeterbiev 😂#BeterbievBivol | #RiyadhSeason | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/7hYyeuMGCx
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 12, 2024
Despite his age (39), Beterbiev showed superior physical and mental resilience during the critical moments.
Artur Beterbiev, the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world (21-0), keeps his legendary streak alive with a flawless record and an incredible knockout rate. 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/bBaG7FKobO
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) October 13, 2024
The scorecards were 116-112 from Pawel Kardyni of Poland, 115-113 from Glenn Feldman of the U.S., and 114-114 by Manuel Oliver Palomo of Panama.
On the other hand, Bivol, who was regarded as one of the most flexible and tactical fighters in the ring, maintained the pace in the early rounds with his signature movement and precise punches.
Bivol is seeking a rematch, as he believes his loss was not fair in the eyes of some
بيفول يسعى للحصول على فرصة نزال الإعادة، حيث يرى أن خسارته لم تكن عادلة وفقًا لآراء البعض
Bivol souhaite un combat revanche, car il estime que sa défaite n'était pas juste aux yeux de certains pic.twitter.com/5z1zRqGqfx
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) October 13, 2024
However, he could not withstand Beterbiev’s increasing pressure in the final rounds. After the fight, Bivol expressed his desire for a rematch with Beterbiev, showing respect for his opponent.
Other Events In another fight, Jai Opetaia successfully defended his heavyweight title against Jack Massey, while Skye Nicolson won her first world title in the featherweight division.
