Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol fight results, highlights: Beterbiev ekes out decision for undisputed title

The fight was incredibly close as one judge scored it a draw

For years, boxing fans had waited to see Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol share the ring to crown an undisputed light heavyweight champion. The fight finally happened Saturday in Saudi Arabia with Beterbiev edging out a majority decision in a  fantastic tactical battle that saw momentum swing several times throughout the 12 rounds.

Bivol came out the sharper man in the early rounds, which was to be expected with Beterbiev coming off an extended layoff as well as knee surgery ahead of the originally planned June date. Bivol, working behind a sharp jab and slick footwork, kept the powerful Beterbiev from setting his feet and unloading.

Beterbiev came back toward the middle rounds, finally seeing his pressure force Bivol backward and opening up space to land thudding right hands and heavy body shots. That body work proved to be critical as Bivol -- even after briefly regaining momentum -- slowed visibly in the championship rounds, which may have been enough to have let Beterbiev steal two of the three official scorecards.

At the conclusion of 12 rounds, the official scorecards read 115-113 and 116-112 for Beterbiev, with one judge scoring the fight a draw at 114-114.

"I feel bad," Beterbiev said after the fight. "I did not do good today. ... I didn't like this fight but I'll be better one day. Of course, it's a tough fight because Dmitry was a world champion too. He has good skills, maybe better than me."

Beterbiev had finished all 20 of his professional opponents inside the distance entering the fight.

"It's a new experience," Beterbiev said. "I'm happy for that. I'm a very simple boxer. Boxers in the world like me, there's more than 1,000. Even Muhammad Ali had fights go the distance." 

Bivol was gracious in defeat, even with the scorecards providing a bit of controversy as it seemed to many he had done enough to earn the decision.

"I am a warrior. I have to do everything perfect," Bivol said. "And I don't have any explanation because it could look like excuses. I just congratulate Artur and his team. He deserves it. No problem. I just have time to make another decision for my future. That's it.
 
"I don't know. I just did my job. I felt that I could have done better. I always could be better. It's just the opinion of the judges. Congratulations, Artur. I didn't see the fight. He won. What can I say?"

Beterbiev seemed open to a rematch when asked after the fight. Bivol said that it was definitely an option he would like to explore.

"Why not? Of course, if I have the chance," Bivol said. "It is my dream to be undisputed."

The undercard featured a mixed bag of results, with mostly the expected results coming through. IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia made quick work of Jack Massey in scoring a sixth-round TKO. As did heavyweight Fabio Wardley, who scored a first-round knockout when he overwhelmed Frazer Clarke in a featured bout. Plus, Chris Eubank Jr. dismantled Kamil Szeremeta with a seventh-round TKO. The highlight may have come in the PPV opener when Ben Whittaker vs. Liam Cameron ended in a draw because both fighters went over the ring ropes and into the crowd. Whittaker was assessed for a leg injury after the fight when he had to go to the hospital.

CBS Sports was with you throughout the entire way on Saturday with the live results and highlights below. 

Fight card, results

• Artur Beterbiev (c) def. Dmitry Bivol (c) via majority decision (114-114, 115-113, 116-112)*
  
• Jai Opetaia (c) def. Jack Massey via sixth-round TKO (corner stoppage)
  
• Fabio Wardley def. Frazer Clarke via first-round knockout
  
• Chris Eubank Jr. def. Kamil Szeremeta via seventh-round TKO 
  
• Skye Nicolson (c) def. Raven Chapman via unanimous decision (99-91, 98-92, 98-92)
  
• Ben Whittaker vs. Liam Cameron ends in draw after fighters tumble over ropes

*Fight for undisputed light heavyweight title

Beterbiev vs. Bivol scorecard, live coverage

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
Beterbiev (c)	9	9	9	9	10	10	10	9	9	10	10	9	113
Bivol (c)	10	10	10	10	9	9	9	10	10	9	9	10	115

[Oct 12, 2024 at 6:51 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Official result: Artur Beterbiev def. Dmitry Bivol via majority decision (114-114, 115-113, 116-112)

[Oct 12, 2024 at 6:47 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev -- Round 12: Beterbiev again stormed forward. Beterbiev landed a good looping right hand. Bivol stood firm and threw a couple of good combinations. Again, Bivol unloaded with a good combination as he tried to keep Beterbiev from sitting on any shots. Beterbiev landed a right hand. Beterbiev landed another right and then one to the body. Bivol fired back. Bivol clinched a few times to drag away some time. Bivol fired a few more shots late before the fight came to an end. This should lock it up for Bivol. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Bivol (115-113)

[Oct 12, 2024 at 6:43 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev -- Round 11: Bivol cracked with a hard counter right hand. Bivol started to really dig in with a variety of punches to bot the head and body. Beterbiev did land a good right hand to the head and that put Bivol on the defensive. Beterbiev landed hard to the body and flurries along the ropes. Another body shot landed for Beterbiev, and another, as he pressed forward with success until Bivol clinched.Beterbiev continued firing and forcing a bit of a brawl. Beterbiev continued to dig to the body and then came back to the head while Bivol seemed to wilt a little late. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Beterbiev (105-104 Bivol)

[Oct 12, 2024 at 6:39 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev -- Round 10: Beterbiev pushed forward and landed a few shots to the head and body, none entirely cleanly. A hard right did land cleanly for Beterbiev moments later. Beterbiev landed a few right hands. Beterbiev connected with a left as Bivol was again a bit slower in the round. Bivol connected with a good hook and then suddenly was picking up the pace again. Beterbiev landed a good right hand and then another as he got Bivol back to the ropes. Beterbiev did a bit more good work down the stretch. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Beterbiev (96-94 Bivol)

[Oct 12, 2024 at 6:35 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev -- Round 9: Beterbiev landed a straight to the body and a left hook to the head. Bivol came right back with a few partially-connected shots. Bivol was starting to swell around the eyes from Beterbiev's right hands. Bivol landed well to the body and then a sharp left hook to the head. Bivol went to the body with a right hand. Bivol landed a nice three-punch combination with a right hand punctuating it. Bivol ripped to the body again. Beterbiev got a right hand in and a left hook and Bivol fired back with a good combination, stealing the moment back. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Bivol (87-84)

[Oct 12, 2024 at 6:31 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev -- Round 8: Beterbiev's corner urged him to continue pouring it on Bivol between rounds. Beterbiev landed a good jab and a few more as he tried to crack Bivol's defense again. Bivol dug in with a straight right to the body and then missed with a right to the head. Beterbiev landed a right hand upstairs and then one to the body. Bivol returned fire with a jab and a right hand behind it. Beterbief got a right hand through the gloves and tried to pin Bivol against the ropes but missed with a sweeping right hand. Beterbiev landed a hard right and ate one in return. Beterbiev landed a good late jab and both men traded down the stretch. These are very tight rounds. Bivol may have stolen it at the end. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Bivol (77-75)

[Oct 12, 2024 at 6:27 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev -- Round 7: Bivol landed a sharp right hand counter early in the round as Beterbiev tried to apply pressure. Bivol ripped with a good extended combination and then slid away from Beterbiev. Bivol was back on the jab again and throwing a bit more than the previous rounds. Bivol landed a hard counter and Beterbiev went backward. Bivol tried to pounce and Beterbiev started firing back.Beterbiev started to pour on more offense, ripping to the head and body just moments after it looked as though Bivol had him hurt. Beterbiev landed some good shots down the stretch to rip that round back. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Beterbiev (67-66 Bivol)

[Oct 12, 2024 at 6:23 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev -- Round 6: Beterbief pushed forward with a jab and then partially landed a right hand. Beterbiev threw a hook that Bivol blocked but it still forced Bivol to move by sheer force. Beterbiev landed a good right as Bivol's punch output dropped a bit. Bivol started to fire and landed a few body shots. Beterbiev landed a few good shots along the ropes. Bivol used a bit of side-to-side movement before a hard jab and Beterbiev responded with a body shot. Another tight round. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Beterbiev (58-56 Bivol)

[Oct 12, 2024 at 6:19 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev -- Round 5: Bivol stood straight in front of Beterbiev and was the man who landed the cleaner shots. Beterbiev kept trying to get Bivol stuck to the ropes and find space to unload heavy shots but Bivol continued to jab and move and occasionally mix in good right hands. Beterbiev landed a hard left hand and Bivol looked a bit affected. Beterbiev then dipped to the body with a hard shot. Bivol landed a good counter left to slow that momentum a big and Beterbiev landed another right and a good flurry at the end. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Beterbiev (49-46)

[Oct 12, 2024 at 6:15 pm ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev -- Round 4: Beterbiev landed a few good jabs early in the round. Beterbiev landed a jab and Bivol countered with a hard right hand. Bivol started to chain together punches a bit more as he continued to not get trapped against the ropes. Beterbiev tried to push forward but Bivol suddenly looked loose and willing to stop at moments to land short combinations. Beterbiev landed a good straight right. Bivol used a one-two to get himself away from the ropes as he just continued to be a bit too slick and effective for Beterbiev to trap. Rounds 3 and 4 were closer but likely both still shade to Bivol Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Bivol (40-36)