In a battle that had boxing fans buzzing, Artur Beterbiev secured a majority decision victory over Dmitry Bivol to become the undisputed light-heavyweight champion.
The highly anticipated clash took place in Saudi Arabia, and it didn’t disappoint.
Bivol, 33, came out strong in the early rounds, using his speed and slick combinations to outmaneuver Beterbiev. But the undefeated Beterbiev, 39, didn’t back down.
He powered through with relentless pressure and heavy punches, shifting the momentum in the later rounds.
With close scores of 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112, Beterbiev made history as the first undisputed light-heavyweight champion in the four-belt era, and the first since 2002.
Despite his monumental win, Beterbiev remained humble. “I feel not bad. I did not good today. I wanted to box with more quality,” he said.
For Bivol, this marked his first loss in 24 fights. “I am a warrior. I don't know, I did my job but I felt like I could do better but it was just the opinion of some judges,” Bivol reflected post-fight.