Artur Beterbiev Edges Dmitry Bivol to Become Undisputed Champ

Artur Beterbiev defeated Dmitry Bivol by majority decision to become the undisputed light-heavyweight world champion in a highly anticipated bout in Saudi Arabia. In a close fight, Bivol, 33, dominated the early rounds with his movement and sharp combinations. However, the 39-year-old Beterbiev applied relentless pressure and power punching, turning the tide in the later rounds.

The judges scored the contest 114-114, 115-113 and 116-112 in Beterbiev’s favor making him the first undisputed light-heavyweight champion since 2002 and the first in the four-belt era. Bivol suffering his first career defeat after 24 bouts, expressed disappointment with the judges’ decision while his promoter Eddie Hearn criticized the scoring. Both fighters had standout moments especially in the seventh round.

They exchanged big shots with both getting hurt in an exciting back-and-forth. Although Artur Beterbiev didn’t secure a knockout, he dominated the final rounds, cementing his victory. In the co-main event, Fabio Wardley retained his British heavyweight title with a devastating first-round knockout of Frazer Clarke. In their rematch, Wardley landed a powerful right hand that knocked Clarke down.

Clarke tried to recover but the referee stopped the fight. Wardley, now 18-0 with 17 knockouts, praised his power and indicated his ambitions to move beyond domestic level, eyeing world title opportunities. The night delivered high-level boxing with Beterbiev’s historic win and Wardley’s dominant performance, showcasing the future of the light-heavyweight and British heavyweight divisions.