Beterbiev Defeats Bivol to Become Undisputed Boxing World Champion
Both fighters entered the ring undefeated, with 33-year-old Bivol holding the WBA title and the 39-year-old Beterbiev reigning as the WBC, WBO, and IBF champion. By taking Beterbiev the full 12 rounds, Bivol became the first fighter to go the distance against a champion who previously boasted a 100 percent knockout record.
Artur Beterbiev, a Russian-born Canadian boxer, has achieved the title of undisputed light-heavyweight world champion after defeating his Russian counterpart Dmitry Bivol on a majority points decision in Saudi Arabia. The fight took place at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena, where two of the three judges scored the bout 115-113 and 116-112 in favor of Beterbiev, while the third judge saw it as a tie at 114-114.
Both fighters entered the ring undefeated, with 33-year-old Bivol holding the WBA title and the 39-year-old Beterbiev reigning as the WBC, WBO, and IBF champion. By taking Beterbiev the full 12 rounds, Bivol became the first fighter to go the distance against a champion who previously boasted a 100 percent knockout record.
“I wanted to box more; I don’t like this fight. I was a little bit uncomfortable,” Beterbiev admitted following his victory. “I felt uncomfortable because usually I’m not waiting for the bell.”
The highly anticipated bout had been postponed from June due to a knee injury Beterbiev sustained. With this victory, Beterbiev unifies the four major light heavyweight belts for the first time since American Roy Jones Jr. accomplished the feat in 1999, when he beat Reggie Johnson to unify the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles.
Bivol employed a dynamic style, becoming a moving target in a high-quality contest marked by Beterbiev's powerful punches and aggressive approach. The early rounds saw Bivol landing impressive blows, and the fight remained competitive, with Beterbiev possibly trailing at the halfway point. Each round was closely contested, appealing to boxing purists, even if it lacked explosive moments.
Knowing he needed a strong finish, Beterbiev upped the tempo in the final two rounds, but Bivol responded with powerful combinations. “I just congratulate Artur and his team; he deserves it,” Bivol stated after the match. “I did my job; I felt I could do better, and I always feel I can do better, but that’s the opinion of the judges. He won.”
In other fights on the card, Australia’s Jai Opetaia successfully defended his IBF cruiserweight world title when Jack Massey’s corner threw in the towel two minutes into the sixth round due to a cut on Massey’s nose, pushing Opetaia's record to 26-0.
Additionally, unbeaten Australian Skye Nicolson made history by winning the first women's world title fight held in Saudi Arabia, defending her WBC featherweight belt against Britain's Raven Chapman in a unanimous points decision. A light heavyweight contest between Britons Ben Whittaker and Liam Cameron ended in a draw after both fighters fell out of the ring. Fabio Wardley also made an impact by stopping Frazer Clarke in the first round of their British heavyweight title bout.
