By: Sean Crose
What a showdown! On Saturday, Saudi sports mogul Turki Al-Sheikh set the stage for a thrilling main event, pitting together two future boxing Hall of Famers in a much-anticipated rematch. With the memory of their razor-thin, twelve-round duel still fresh, Artur Beterbiev, the undefeated and undisputed light heavyweight champ with a perfect 21-0 record, faced off again against his fierce rival, the formidable 23-1 Dmitry Bivol. It promised to be an epic 12-round championship battle.
Right from the start, both fighters proceeded with caution—and who could blame them? Bivol effectively utilized his jab, while Beterbiev began to exert his trademark pressure. By the second round, Bivol fired off swift shots, countered by Beterbiev’s persistent advance with his own jabs. As round three kicked off, Beterbiev turned up the heat, though Bivol continued to hold his own, delivering and landing punches. In the fourth round, Beterbiev started throwing with more power as Bivol’s pace started to slow. Beterbiev’s aggression and hard-hitting continue into the fifth round, creating the impression that Bivol was perhaps beginning to falter.
The sixth round saw a revived Bivol, especially towards the bell, even as Beterbiev seemed to land a worrisome blow seconds before the round ended. The seventh round saw Bivol losing sharpness, as the bout’s tempo slowed, with Beterbiev maintaining his role as the more active fighter. The eighth brought Bivol back into stride, landing clean, hard shots and throwing combinations, bravely pressing forward. Bivol found yet another gear in the ninth, unleashing quick combinations that kept Beterbiev on his toes.
As the tenth round unfolded, Beterbiev strove to impose his aggression again, but Bivol’s flashy combination work, reminiscent of a great like Ray Leonard, defined the round. The eleventh was arguably the closest, yet Bivol’s fluidity and decisive flurries might have left a more lasting impression than Beterbiev’s efforts. The twelfth round closed the contest spectacularly, with Beterbiev seeming to find the upper hand.
And then, the final decision rested with the judges. They crowned Bivol the victor, scoring the fight 114-114, 116-112, and 115-113 in his favor.
