Beterbiev crowned boxing’s undisputed light heavyweight world champion

Artur Beterbiev beats Dmitry Bivol connected bulk points to harvester the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF belts astatine the combat successful Riyadh.

Russian-born Canadian boxer Artur Beterbiev has been crowned the undisputed light-heavyweight satellite champion aft helium bushed his Russian rival Dmitry Bivol connected a bulk points determination successful Saudi Arabia.

Two of the 3 ringside judges scored the combat 115-113 and 116-112 to Beterbiev, portion the different called it tied astatine 114-114 astatine Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena connected Saturday.

Both men were antecedently undefeated, with 33-year-old Bivol holding the WBA loop and Beterbiev, 39, the reigning WBC, WBO and IBF champion.

By taking the bearded Beterbiev to a afloat 12 rounds successful the Saudi capital, Bivol became the archetypal antheral to spell the region against a champion with a erstwhile 100 percent grounds of winning by knockout oregon stoppage.

“I wanted to container more, I don’t similar this fight. I was a small spot uncomfortable,” Beterbiev said aft his win.

“I felt uncomfortable due to the fact that usually I’m not waiting for the bell.”

The header clash, postponed from past June aft Montreal-based Beterbiev suffered a genu injury, enactment the 4 recognised large belts successful the hands of 1 antheral for the archetypal time.

The past undisputed airy heavyweight champion was American Roy Jones Jr, who bushed Reggie Johnson to unify the WBA, WBC and IBF belts successful 1999.

Bivol made himself a moving people successful a high-quality combat betwixt the large punching and assertive Beterbiev and a much fluid rival who landed eye-catching aboriginal blows and had the amended of the aboriginal rounds.

There was small betwixt the 2 astatine the halfway point, with Beterbiev perchance down but each circular a adjacent telephone successful a combat abbreviated of fireworks but with plentifulness for the purists.

Beterbiev knew helium had to adjacent with a bang successful the past 2 rounds and raised the tempo but Bivol hung successful determination and fired backmost immoderate almighty combinations.

“I conscionable congratulate Artur and his team, helium deserves it,” Bivol, who expects a imaginable rematch, said aft the fight.

“I did my job, I felt I could bash better, I ever consciousness I tin bash better, but that’s the sentiment of the judges. He won.”

A combat for the ages! Congratulations to our Champion, Arthur Beterbiev connected becoming undisputed ruler of the Lt. Heavyweight division. Congratulations besides to Dimitri Bivol connected a precise awesome effort that kept combat fans astatine the borderline of their seats. pic.twitter.com/mz2A67wKlb

— WBO (@WorldBoxingOrg) October 13, 2024

Australia’s Jai Opetaia earlier retained his IBF cruiserweight satellite rubric erstwhile Jack Massey’s country threw successful the towel 2 minutes into the sixth circular with the beaten Briton bleeding from a chopped to the broadside of his nose.

The convincing triumph took Opetaia’s grounds to 26-0.

Unbeaten Australian Skye Nicolson won the archetypal women’s satellite rubric combat held successful Saudi Arabia erstwhile she defended her WBC featherweight loop against Britain’s Raven Chapman successful a unanimous points decision.

A airy heavyweight combat betwixt Britons Ben Whittaker and Liam Cameron ended successful a gully aft some crashed retired of the ring, portion Fabio Wardley stopped Frazer Clarke successful the archetypal circular of their British heavyweight rubric fight.