Eddie Hearn doesn’t think any objective observer would be able to convince him that Artur Beterbiev won six rounds over Dmitry Bivol on Saturday night, let alone eight.

Although Bivol’s promoter is confident that Bivol deserved to win the unification bout for the featherlight heavyweight championship, Hearn expressed confidence during the post-fight press conference that his fighter would receive an immediate rematch. Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, told Bivol, Hearn and others at the ring that he wanted to schedule a second fight between Beterbiev and Bivol as soon as possible.

GEA financed the entire gala headlined by Beterbiev-Bivol at the Kingdom Arena in Riyad, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KO), who won a majority decision, and Bivol (23-1, 12 KO) each earned approximately $10 million for the long-awaited fight that crowned the first of the four fully unified boxing champions at up to 175 pounds. -belt era.

Hearn, the president of Matchroom Boxing, doesn’t think anything other than a rematch with Bivol makes sense for the injury-prone Beterbiev, who turns 40 in January.

“Yes, I mean ‘His Excellency’ [Alalshikh] he said, “Bad decision. We’re doing a rematch.[…]We know he keeps his word,” Hearn said. “We know he supported Dmitry Bivol. We thank him very much, not only for the opportunities Dmitry Bivol has given, but for what he has given to boxing tonight by taking this fight. And there has to be a rematch, because Artur Beterbiev, you know, there will always be controversy around this fight.

“And he is a true champion. What other fight awaits Artur Beterbiev? I mean, the whole world will want to see it again. The whole world will know. You know, I’m sure there are those who recognized Beterbiev’s victory. But everyone I know who knows boxing didn’t tell me that in the ring.

Justices Paweł Kardyni (116-112) and Glenn Feldman (115-113) disagreed with Hearn’s assessment. They scored eight and seven rounds respectively for Beterbiev, as the Russian champion kept the pressure on Bivol for most of their 12-round encounter and regularly landed punches on the smarter, savvier technician who tried to overtake him, usually by moving backwards.

Referee Manuel Oliver Palomo gave Beterbiev and Bivol six rounds each (114-114).

Alalshikh believes that all three judges were wrong.

“In my opinion, the result is not fair,” Alalshikh said as he left the ring. “I think it’s at least for Bivol [by] two rounds… two fighters like my brother, OK? But I think Bivol [won] two more rounds. I don’t know why this result [is] yes, but in my opinion I will focus and try to make a rematch. They deserve it. They deserve it. If they agree, we will do it.”

Beterbiev, 39, and Bivol, 33, have expressed equal interest in fighting again next.

“We should ask the boxing fans,” said Bivol, who was reluctant to apply what he considered an “excuse” for his first professional defeat. “Do they want this rematch? If they want [it]I’d like to give that rematch and of course I’d like to get that chance again.”

Montreal’s Beterbiev, who has covered that distance for the first time since his amateur days, would welcome a profitable opportunity to defeat Bivol more decisively in a second fight for the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC and WBO belts.

“If ‘His Excellency’ wants,” Beterbiev told DAZN’s Chris Mannix at the ring, “we will do it [it]”

Ultimately it was aggression over agility, constant pressure over agility.

Ultimately, the judges favored the pressure, awarding Artur Beterbiev a majority decision over Dmitry Bivol on Saturday at the Kingdom Arena in Riyad, Saudi Arabia. The first decision victory of Beterbiev’s professional career made the 39-year-old veteran the first undisputed lightweight heavyweight world champion in the four-belt era and gave him the vacant Ring Magazine 175-pound title.

Judge Glenn Feldman’s 115-113 score and Pavel Kardyni’s 116-112 score in favor of Beterbiev outweighed judge Manuel Palomo’s 114-114 draw.

“Today I didn’t do well, I wanted to box more (better), but one day I will do it better,” said the victorious Beterbiev, who entered the fight with the WBC/WBO/IBF belts up to 175 pounds and became The Ring Candidate No. 1. “It’s it was a bit uncomfortable. Of course it was a challenging fight. Dmitry is also a world champion. He has good skills, maybe better than me. But today Allah chose me.

“When we fight, we always change something. I wanted to hit him. I didn’t snail-paced him down because I didn’t land one challenging punch.

For Beterbiev (21-0, 20 knockouts) it was the first 12-round fight in his career, and for Bivol (23-1, 12 KO) it was his first professional defeat.

“I’m a fighter and I have to do everything perfectly,” a gracious Bivol said after the defeat. “I don’t have any explanation because it will seem like an excuse. I don’t know. I did my job. It’s just the judges’ opinion. He won. That’s what I can say. He was powerful, very powerful.

“I would like to do it again. My dream is to be undisputed.”

SCORE CARDS. @ABeterbiev makes the decision of the majority 👑 pic.twitter.com/Cg9vNbQ7D8

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 12, 2024

According to CompuBox statistics, Bivol landed 50% of his power punches, while Beterbiev landed only 29%. Bivol landed 33 power punches in the first six rounds to Beterbiev’s 23. Beterbiev turned things around in the final six rounds, landing 67 power punches to Bivol’s 51.

In rounds 11 and 12, Beterbiev landed 29 challenging punches and Bivol landed 19, according to CompuBox. According to CompuBox, in eight of the 12 rounds fought, there were four or fewer connects between the fighters.

Bivol, who entered the fight as the WBA lightweight heavyweight champion, landed 141 of 417 total punches, while Beterbiev landed 137 of 682.

Beterbiev became the first undisputed lightweight heavyweight champion of the world since Roy Jones Jr. defeated Reggie Johnson in 1999.

In the first round, both fighters seemed tentative, throwing paws and probing jabs. It was Bivol who opened up first as Bivol landed a quick one-two combination. The action gained momentum in the last minute, although Bivol defended against Beterbiev’s pressure.

In the second minute, Bivol used a jab as Beterbiev tried to get inside. It was Bivol who took the harder shots. Beterbiev controlled the center of the ring, acting as the aggressor. While Beterbiev tried to go after Bivol, Bivol was nowhere to be found, avoiding Beterbiev’s aggression.

With 1:43 left in the third period, Bivol nailed Beterbiev with a quick counter combination right after Beterbiev’s jab. By three, Bivol defeated Beterbiev 38:23.

Bivol hit a straight shot to right with 1:10 left in the fifth. Beterbiev made it intriguing when he landed a jab straight to the body and Bivol retreated for a moment.

As the sixth opened, Beterbiev hit a challenging right. Once again, Beterbiev played the role of the persecutor. Bivol switched roles briefly as the round approached the two-minute mark. Beterbiev quickly changed that, standing in the middle of the ring and pecking away with his jab.

With 1:02 left, Bivol stayed outside the ropes and fought his way back to the center of the ring, landing a counter left to the head. Beterbiev responded with a body shot.

Between the sixth and seventh sessions, Beterbiev’s coach, Marc Ramsey, urged him to stay in front of Bivol, stressed by having to keep the temperature high. Beterbiev averaged four power punches per round, well below his average of 13 power punches per round.

Until the sixth second, Bivol was still ahead of Beterbiev (68-48).

With 1:47 left in the seventh, Bivol hit a combination that broke through Beterbiev’s high guard. With just over a minute remaining in the round, Bivol appeared to hurt Beterbiev with a right-left combination, which was followed by another right-left and right-left counterattack.

Artur Beterbiev’s tardy push was rewarded with a majority decision over Dmitry Bivol in a fight for the undisputed lightweight heavyweight title.

Bivol had Beterbiev backing up and it looked like Bivol might have punched himself because Beterbiev turned the tables and spent the last 30 seconds Beterbiev pounding Bivol into the ropes.

Midway through the eighth, Bivol connected with a right to the body, which Beterbiev responded to with a right a few moments later. Bivol’s left eye looked as if it had swollen at the eyebrow. By the end of the fight, Bivol’s left eye would be a mess.

In the final seconds of the eighth period, Beterbiev hit Bivol with a right and then a right uppercut. Bivol tried to steal the round with a series of punches in the final 10 seconds, but to no avail, hitting Beterbiev’s gloves rather than Beterbiev.

With 2:37 remaining in ninth place, Bivol continued to work a level right to the body. About a minute later, Bivol landed a left hook. He kept looking for a left hook over Beterbiev’s punch.

With 55 seconds left in the round, Bivol lunged left at Beterbiev’s body. Bivol opened up more with 29 seconds left in the round, hitting Beterbiev with a combination. It seemed that Beterbiev was only able to stand and fend off the blows.

Through nine rounds, Bivol landed 58 power punches and Beterbiev had 52 and outscored Beterbiev in body shots 20-18.

In the 10th minute, Bivol held the center of the ring and Beterbiev circled him. With 47 seconds left, Bivol attacked, hitting Beterbiev with a combination to the head. Beterbiev tried to catch Bivol on the ropes, but Bivol’s excellent footwork prevented this.

Perhaps feeling he was in trouble, Beterbiev aggressively came out in 11th place. At 2:21, Bivol timed Beterbiev and caught him with a counter just above Beterbiev’s shot. With 1:49 left, Beterbiev kicked out Bivol with a right to the body. Midway through the 11th, Bivol was forced to tie down Beterbiev, who was coming onto the pitch and looking to join wherever he could.

Bivol had his hands up and was shooting. This was Beterbiev’s best round of the fight. He dominated for the entire three minutes almost from start to finish. Right to the body followed by a right uppercut, Bivol kept his hands high as he took the punishment.

Before the final round, Bivol defeated Beterbiev 128:122. Bivol seemed to be slowing down in the final rounds. Beterbiev’s aggression paid off. He was breaking through Bivol’s high guard. Bivol, probably thinking he had the upper hand, took more punishment. Beterbiev was coming after Bivol, and Bivol was trying to fend off Beterbiev’s last attack.

When the final bell sounded, Bivol breathed a sigh of relief, finally glad to be up.

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They say if you come for the king, it’s better not to miss.

Dmitry Bivol fought as well as he has ever fought, but his attempt at featherlight heavyweight supremacy against “The King” Artur Beterbiev proved painful.

Beterbiev won an excellent fight with scores of 116-112 (Pawel Kardyni), 115-113 (Glenn Feldman) and 114-114 (Manuel Oliver Palomo).

There wasn’t much to it, but two of the best 175-pounders of this generation put on a gripping battle of skill, courage and technical proficiency.

At the end of the show, the fresh undisputed champion Beterbiev felt he could have done better, but Bivol congratulated him on his great performance. None of them complained about the results or each other.

Asked later how he felt, “Not bad,” Beterbiev replied.

“I didn’t do well today,” he continued. “I didn’t like this fight, but one day I will feel better. It wasn’t hard, it was a little uncomfortable.”

Bivol, who finished his battle with swelling around his left eye, stated that he still dreams of becoming undisputed champion and simply added: “Congratulations to Artur and his team, he deserves it.”

He thought he won?

“I don’t know,” he replied. “I did my job. I thought I could be better. I could always improve. He won. What could I say?”

Bivol is currently 23-1 (12 KOs), and the 33-year-old, who was born in Tokmak, Kyrgyzstan, but fights out of Indio, California, is sure to come again.

Beterbiev, who surprisingly went the distance for the first time in 21 professional fights and had previously recorded 20 stoppages, added Bivola’s WBA belt to his WBC, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine titles.

Both men tried to take control with left hands in the first round, and Beterbiev’s nose started to turn red when Bivol stepped in for a two-count.

It was constant work, but in the dying heat of the round they both lowered their hands. Beterbiev, who will turn 40 in early 2025, took Bivol to the ropes, but Bivol quickly responded as Top Ranking-promoted Beterbiev advanced.

Bivol’s left hand was polished, he hooked, jabbed and finished the jab in the second.

He threw with intention. Each blow was intended to gain Beterbiev’s respect.

Beterbiev moved forward menacingly. He chewed through several pointed jabs that dug into his stoic face, but he moved forward briskly, forcing Bivol to work challenging with his legs, engine, and head.

Bivol almost always stayed within striking distance, so Bivol couldn’t shut down for even a second.

Midway through the third, Bivol was able to punch a series of jabs and right hands through Beterbiev’s tight guard.

Beterbiev’s head was often snapped back by Bivol’s faster and more correct shots, but – as is his wont – Beterbiev simply marched towards him.

In the fourth quarter, Beterbiev seemed to leisurely Bivol down a bit and hit him with his right hand.

It was, as expected, high-quality and engaging. It was Bivol’s fluidity against Beterbiev’s unwavering pressure.

Bivol continued to look good, but his performance seemed to decline. He lunged forward and hit Beterbiev with a right hand, but it didn’t dent him, and in the final minute of the fifth period there were signs that Beterbiev might take control, planting a stout and hefty right hand into Bivol’s diaphragm.

Still, despite Beterbiev’s pressure, Bivol’s high hands and movement meant that anything significant caught him, only sparingly. For some time in the sixth set, Bivol stayed on his feet and fought back.

Soon, however, Beterbiev was in the lead again.

Bivol landed a right hand on Beterbiev’s cheek to start round seven. Beterbiev nodded and moved towards Bivol again.

Beterbiev, with his back to the ropes, stung Bivol midway through the seventh strike, then began beating him this way and that as Bivol endured his first real danger.

The two looked at each other to start the eighth. None of them neglected the body. In fact, they both ended up in first place at the bottom, but the round was relatively still and yet still fascinating, and they both let their fists fly in an attempt to impress the judges with a few seconds left.

Bivol started the ninth round quickly. He hit Beterbiev with a left hook and although Beterbiev still moved towards him, he didn’t hit much of the mark and Bivol worked him over.

With three minutes to go, the game was ready and everything seemed to be hanging in the balance with nine minutes to go.

Beterbiev still had a challenging time catching Bivol cleanly, but Bivol managed to score some nice catches. Bivol veered right, veered left, and Beterbiev couldn’t stay on his feet to hit his celebrated hefty shots.

Bivol remained as the composed matador, but in the 11th Beterbiev broke through with a forceful right hand and dealt with powerful lefts and rights as Bivol, swollen above his left eye, offered little in response.

They touched gloves respectfully to open the 12th inning, and Bivol recovered enough to start promisingly. Beterbiev, ever the pursuer, tracked him to the ropes and with 80 seconds left Bivol was on the back foot and had to tuck in. Beterbiev dominated in the end. Bivol tried to stop him, so in a sporting gesture they once again waved their gloves after the bell.

It was a great fight at a high level. It featured two practitioners at the top of their game. Judge Thomas Taylor was a virtual witness as the two craftsmen elegantly chopped each other down.

It wasn’t a thriller, but it didn’t have to be. It was a great demonstration of what this sport is all about. Strategy, skill, agility, courage and ability.

If the waiting for this, the most attractive of all fights that can be fought in this sport today, was a journey, then the destination for fight fans was Elysium.

Bivol came for the king and missed.

However, there is every chance that he will get the chance to fight for “King” Arthur once again, but next time Beterbiev will fight as the undisputed featherlight heavyweight champion of the world.