The Monster became the world’s first undisputed light heavyweight champion since the great Roy Jones Jnr a quarter of a century ago.
The artist continued to dance after the final bell, believing that the glory should have belonged to him.
Artur Beterbiev was somewhat sympathetic in the victory. Dmitry Bivol was partially generous in defeat.
The jury members were divided. One had it as a draw. The two scored for Beterbiev 115-113 and 116-112.
The crowd at the Kingdom Arena didn’t know what to think. In their Saudi Arabian childhood, the crowds simply cheered.
Artur Beterbiev has become the first undisputed light heavyweight champion of the four-belt era
Beterbiev was taken over the distance, with one judge scoring it 114-114, while the other two went 115-113 and 116-12 in his favor.
Or the decision would be divisive.
Some overheated critics cried out for theft, their attention captured by Bivol’s alternating combinations. Others, including myself, nodded sagely in recognition of the fact that Beterbiev was the aggressor and timed his attacks at critical moments. A draw would have been a generally acceptable conclusion.
It made for a grandstand event, but it wasn’t the classic that was predicted. And what boxing longed for would mark a renaissance of the glorious 80s. No Sugar Ray Leonard or Marvin Hagler here.
In that sense, a slight disappointment when Beterbiev admitted that he was below his destructive best, having delivered brutal KOs in all his previous fights. And admitted that while he thought he had imposed enough punishment for a narrow victory, he was “a bit lucky” that two of the judges saw it that way.
Bivol did his best. At times he surpassed Beterbiev and was able to withstand the powerful punches towards the end, becoming the first opponent to take him the distance of 12 rounds. Just, as it happened, during a test over the last two rounds.
Everyone had a good night. Although not exactly a great fight between the Russians.
Both expressed their willingness for a rematch. It would be worth watching, but not as high expectations as this.
Dmitry Bivol was devastated after the loss but refused to apologize after the fight
The fight was one of the best boxing spectacles you’ve seen in recent times, with both men enjoying quite a bit of success at the Kingdom Arena.
Few Riyadh residents attended the free-to-view events during the week of fighting.
The Kingdom Arena wasn’t exactly full of anticipation as the evening was plowed through a slew of mandatory undercards.
Although there was curiosity as to why Ben Whittaker was awarded a technical draw after he and Liam Cameron fell through the ropes at the end of their fifth round and only he failed to climb back into the ring.
The decision was based on the fact that they were level on points at the time, the reason Whittaker’s foot hurt too much to continue.
Cynics noted that Ben the ballerino had long since stopped dancing and that the momentum lay with the unconceived Cameron.
Whittaker may get the benefit of the doubt this time. He is still a work in progress, but lessons need to be learned – especially regarding endurance – if he is to be an essential cog in boxing’s next generation, as he had led many to believe.
The first women’s world title fight in Saudi Arabia may have been of social significance, but the event was more like shadowboxing than sparring. The early entrants had long lost interest before Australia’s Skye Nicolson was judged to have beaten her English challenger, Raven Chapman, with the few more brushstrokes of the gloves.
Chris Eubank Jr. held up a stick so much smaller it looked more like a tent peg as he reached out to touch gloves. Conor Benn, of course, annoyed everyone by jumping out of the box into the ring as a joke to harass Eubank for a fight that no one knows if or when it could happen – in the name of their fathers.
Ben Whittaker (right) was awarded a technical draw after he and Liam Cameron (left) fell through the ropes
The decision was based on the fact that they were level on points at the time, despite Cameron having momentum
Chris Eubank (left) and Conor Benn (right) faced off again after the former’s win
Frazer Clarke (right) suffered a damaging first round defeat to Fabio Wardley (left)
Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke had promised the Saudi wallet fillers a repeat of their bloody battle of the year. The Sheiks of Arabia got 148 seconds for their money. Wardley retained his British heavyweight title with a huge right for the first knockdown, followed by a flurry of blows that left Clarke sitting like a giant, broken doll against a corner post.
But none of this was why we were here. Nor just for the spectacular son-et-lumiere that His Generous Excellency Turki Alalshikh loves musical superstars to entertain invited celebrities and raise the curtain on the winter-long Riyadh season of sports, concerts and cultural events. No matter how much the pounding rhythm and searing flames raised the temperature.
No. The candle we flocked to like moths was finally the staging of the fight between the two best light heavyweights in the world.
Yes, Beterbviev vs. Bivol. Yes, for the undisputed world title. It had the potential to be a battle for the ages.