A historic feat took place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, where the Russian puncher Artur Beterbiev defeated his compatriot Dmitry Bivol by Majority Decision (114 – 114, 115 – 113, 116 – 112), becoming the undisputed light heavyweight champion. The victor, thanks to a powerful finish, now holds the WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF belts and, at 39 years old, deserves to be considered among the greatest light heavyweights of all time.
Dmitry Bivol certainly had the best start. With his jab, continuous movement, sharp one-twos, and high guard, he earned early points on the judges’ scorecards, taking advantage of a cautious start by Beterbiev.
The Dagestani fighter stood in the center of the ring, but for two and a half rounds, he restrained his urge to attack, carefully studying his opponent’s movements. It was only in the latter half of the third round that Artur began to show signs of life, cutting off the ring with greater determination, although he still struggled to find the right openings for his best shots.
A turning point occurred in the final seconds of the fourth round when Beterbiev, after unsuccessfully trying to trap his elusive opponent, finally cornered him and landed some violent punches just before the bell. It may not have been enough to win the round, but it was certainly enough to boost his confidence.
In the following three rounds, Beterbiev’s best attributes were on display: relentless pressure, heavy right hooks, bodywork, and, of course, his immense power. In fact, the punch that stunned Bivol in the fifth round, initiating a phase of great difficulty for the fighter born in Kyrgyzstan, was a left jab!
The seventh round, however, deserves special mention, as a specific intense exchange may have decisively impacted the fight’s dynamics. Bivol landed two brilliant combinations in the center of the ring, momentarily backing up the ironclad Beterbiev, but then he made a grave mistake.
Contrary to the usual claims of his cyborg-like composure, Dmitry let adrenaline take over and attempted a risky third attack, getting caught with a left hook and finding himself at Beterbiev’s mercy at the end of the round. This not only cost him the round but also exposed him to heavy punches that surely drained his energy.
Bivol, the pre-fight favorite, didn’t lose his composure despite Beterbiev’s fierce comeback. From the eighth round, which was very evenly matched, he regained focus and composure, reclaiming the rhythm he had established at the beginning of the fight before Beterbiev’s brutal aggression derailed his plans.
The tenth round exemplified the difficulty the judges faced in interpreting and scoring the fight. After taking some clean combinations from Bivol, Beterbiev turned into a tank in the last minute, bombarding Bivol’s high guard with a terrifying number of punches.
Most of these punches landed on Bivol’s gloves and shouldn’t have been counted for scoring purposes. However, seeing a fighter retreating under heavy fire for an entire minute can greatly influence the judges, who unanimously gave the round to Beterbiev.
There were no doubts about the final two rounds, which Beterbiev won clearly, tossing a visibly exhausted Bivol around the ring. In the lead-up to the fight, it was emphasized how crucial it was for the WBA champion to reach the championship rounds in fresher condition than his dangerous opponent. The opposite happened: despite being 39 years old, Beterbiev finished the fight in spectacular fashion, securing the sprint needed to edge ahead on the scorecards.
Given the number of close rounds, the final outcome could have reasonably gone either way. Personally, I scored it 115-113 in favor of Bivol, but Beterbiev’s victory, especially considering his superb finish, is undoubtedly legitimate, though the 116-112 score given by judge Pawel Kardyni seems too wide.
Regardless of opinions on the decision, what Artur Beterbiev achieved was nothing short of legendary. Nearly 40 years old, coming off knee surgery, and facing a talented opponent six years younger, Artur delivered the performance of a lifetime on the most important night of his illustrious career.
It was a fantastic performance in every aspect: psychologically, because he wasn’t discouraged despite falling behind in the early rounds; technically, because he used his footwork brilliantly to shrink the ring; and physically, because he maintained a high pace despite his age and clinched the victory in the final moments.
Comparing the records of boxers from the last century to modern ones is extremely difficult, as fighters of the past fought far more frequently, accumulating accomplishments that are now practically unreachable. However, if we consider the differences between eras and weigh quality more heavily than cold numbers, Artur Beterbiev, after this achievement, deserves a seat at the table of the greatest.
While epic warriors like Ezzard Charles, Gene Tunney, and Archie Moore remain out of reach regardless of ranking criteria, and while Bob Foster and Roy Jones Jr. likely wrote too significant pages to be surpassed, Beterbiev can certainly find a place just outside the top five, jostling alongside Michael Spinks.
As for Bivol, he has nothing to be ashamed of. He fought against a war machine capable of inflicting terrible damage even when landing punches on the arms. He delivered highlight-reel moments, gritted his teeth, and remained standing in situations that would have brought most fighters to their knees.
Perhaps Bivol has some minor regrets regarding his handling of certain key moments, but that’s boxing: decisions must be made in a split second, under the weight of intense emotions and oxygen deprivation.
In any case, given the tremendous balance in the fight and the great spectacle it provided, a rematch, though not contractually required, would be more than desirable for the sake of boxing fans.