Riyadh Showdown: Beterbiev Vs. Bivol 2 Fight Results And Highlights

Admin

3 min read

Post on Feb 24, 2025

4.3

Share

Riyadh Showdown: Beterbiev Dominates Bivol in Unifying Light Heavyweight Title Bout

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — Dmitry Bivol's reign as WBA light heavyweight champion ended Saturday night in a resounding defeat at the hands of Artur Beterbiev, who unified the division's major titles with a unanimous decision victory at the Diriyah Arena. The highly anticipated rematch, a year after their first clash, saw Beterbiev showcase his superior power and relentless pressure, ultimately leaving Bivol unable to replicate the tactical success of their initial encounter.

The judges' scorecards reflected the fight's dominant narrative: 117-111, 115-113, and 115-113, all in favor of Beterbiev. While Bivol, known for his precision and defensive prowess, landed some clean shots, Beterbiev's consistent aggression and heavier blows proved decisive. The Russian power puncher consistently pushed forward, forcing Bivol onto the backfoot and wearing him down throughout the 12 rounds. Bivol's trademark movement and counter-punching were largely neutralized by Beterbiev's relentless assault.

The fight started cautiously, with both fighters sizing each other up. However, Beterbiev's pressure gradually intensified, landing powerful body shots that visibly affected Bivol's movement and stamina. While Bivol displayed his typical defensive skills, expertly slipping some of Beterbiev's heavier punches, he couldn't consistently land the telling blows needed to turn the tide. Bivol's counter-punching, effective in their first fight, was less frequent and less impactful this time around, hampered by Beterbiev's relentless pressure.

The middle rounds saw Beterbiev consistently landing combinations, forcing Bivol to absorb significant punishment. Bivol showed his remarkable resilience, absorbing blows and continuing to fight, but his effectiveness visibly diminished as the fight wore on. He displayed flashes of brilliance, landing some stinging counters, but these were too few and far between to overcome Beterbiev's consistent onslaught.

The final rounds saw Beterbiev maintain his relentless pressure, solidifying his dominance. While Bivol attempted to rally, the accumulated damage from the previous rounds proved too much to overcome. Beterbiev's superior power and relentless pressure ultimately proved the deciding factors in the fight.

The victory adds the WBA title to Beterbiev's already impressive collection, which includes the WBC and IBF belts. He now holds three of the four major light heavyweight titles, establishing himself as the undisputed king of the division, barring a potential unification bout with the WBO champion.

Post-fight, Beterbiev expressed satisfaction with his performance, crediting his training camp and his team for the victory. Bivol, while acknowledging Beterbiev's victory, remained gracious in defeat, highlighting the challenges posed by his opponent's superior power and pressure. The fight cemented Beterbiev's status as one of the most feared punchers in boxing, and left many wondering who, if anyone, can dethrone the newly crowned unified champion. The boxing world eagerly anticipates his next challenge, and the possibility of a complete unification of the light heavyweight titles. The Riyadh showdown served as a compelling display of power boxing versus technical mastery, ultimately highlighting the decisive impact of Beterbiev's overwhelming power.