Artur Beterbiev Defeats Dmitry Bivol to Become Undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion

 

In a historic fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Artur Beterbiev emerged victorious over Dmitry Bivol by a majority decision, becoming the first undisputed light heavyweight champion in over two decades. The 39-year-old Beterbiev, who entered the fight with an undefeated record of 21 wins and 20 knockouts, was taken the full distance for the first time by his fellow Russian rival.

The judges scored the fight 115-113, 116-112 in favor of Beterbiev, while the third judge had it as a 114-114 draw. The bout, which took place at the Kingdom Arena, was a close and hard-fought contest, with both fighters having their moments. Beterbiev's victory unifies the WBO, WBA, IBF, and WBC belts, making him the first undisputed champion in the division since Roy Jones Jr. in 1999.

Bivol, known for his fluid style, started strong, landing several sharp blows in the early rounds. However, Beterbiev’s aggressive approach and powerful punches kept the fight competitive, with neither fighter clearly dominating. As the fight progressed, Beterbiev turned up the pressure in the final rounds, which likely secured the win on the scorecards.

Despite the loss, Bivol congratulated Beterbiev on his achievement, saying, “He deserves it.” Bivol also expressed interest in a potential rematch, acknowledging that he could have performed better.

In the undercard, Australia’s Jai Opetaia retained his IBF cruiserweight world title after Jack Massey’s corner stopped the fight in the sixth round due to a cut. Opetaia’s win extended his undefeated record to 26-0.

Another highlight of the evening was Australia’s Skye Nicolson, who became the first woman to defend a world title in Saudi Arabia. Nicolson won a unanimous decision against Britain’s Raven Chapman, defending her WBC featherweight belt.

The event also featured a dramatic British heavyweight title fight, where Fabio Wardley knocked out Frazer Clarke in the first round, and a light heavyweight bout between Ben Whittaker and Liam Cameron that ended in a draw after both fighters fell out of the ring.