Dmitry Bivol becomes undisputed light heavyweight champ with majority decision over Artur Beterbiev

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Dmitry Bivol beat Artur Beterbiev by majority decision Saturday to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion, claiming Beterbiev’s four championship belts and avenging his first career loss four months ago.

Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) won 116-112 and 115-113 on two scorecards, while the third judge had a 114-114 draw. The previously unbeaten Beterbiev (21-1) won their first bout by a majority decision with the same three final scores.

“(The difference) was just me,” Bivol said with a smile while holding all four title belts. “I was better. I was pushing myself more. I was more confident. I was lighter, and I just wanted to win so much today.

Bivol turned the rematch in his favor in the middle rounds, showing off his punching precision and elusiveness. He stayed away from Beterbiev’s power, which threatened to decide the bout early on, and scored with counterpunches while Beterbiev’s energy flagged.

Although Beterbiev stunned Bivol with a right hand that opened a cut above Bivol’s left eye in the 12th, Bivol hung on for the victory.

“I’m just so happy,” Bivol said. “I went through a lot last year. ... To be honest, I lost (the first bout), and I felt a little bit easier, maybe. I didn’t pressure too much this time, like before the last fight. I just wanted to work from the first round until the end of the 12th. I hoped I did enough, and I won it.”

The main event at ANB Arena was a rematch of the light heavyweights’ entertaining first title bout last Oct. 12 at Kingdom Arena. Beterbiev won that narrow majority decision while going the distance for the first time in his career.

Bivol’s supporters decried the verdict that made Beterbiev the first undisputed light heavyweight champion in the four-belt era, and several statistical measures backed up their anger. A quick rematch was natural, and the Saudi promoters made it happen atop a title fight-studded card.

“I think this fight was better than the first fight,” said Beterbiev, who later indicated that he also felt he won the rematch. “Now it’s my time to come back. ... Actually, I didn’t even want the second fight. It wasn’t my choice. But no problem. We’re going to do a third fight if we need.”

Bivol faded in the final three rounds of their first fight, throwing hundreds fewer punches than he managed in his career-defining upset of Canelo Álvarez.

Bivol came out slugging with Beterbiev in the rematch, but Beterbiev upped his aggression and effectiveness starting in the third, closing the distance on Bivol and punishing the challenger with body shots.

Beterbiev appeared to be on the verge of a physically dominant victory, but Bivol increased his activity and counterpunching in the middle rounds to turn the fight yet again as Beterbiev tired.

“It was hard to keep him at the distance for the first four rounds, but then I saw that he was tired,” Bivol said. “I was tired, but he was tired also, and I had to be smarter. I had to punch more, clean punches, and I did.”

Bivol rose to stardom in 2022 with his impressive victory over Álvarez, thwarting the Mexican superstar’s attempt to win a world title in a fifth division. Bivol defended his WBA light heavyweight title and picked up the IBO belt in three subsequent victories before losing both to Beterbiev.

Beterbiev, a 40-year-old Russian based in Montreal, had held at least one light heavyweight title belt since 2017.

On the undercard in Riyadh, New Zealand’s Joseph Parker stopped Martin Bakole in the second round to win the WBO interim heavyweight title. Bakole, who took the fight two days ago after Daniel Dubois fell ill, was easy work for the 33-year-old Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) in his sixth consecutive victory.

Shakur Stevenson also retained his WBC lightweight title with a stoppage of late replacement Josh Padley, who gave a game effort before his corner threw in the towel following three knockdowns in the ninth round.

Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) was in control from the opening round, but the American did little to silence the critics who claim he lacks a finishing instinct before finally securing a stoppage.

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AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing