Bivol vs Beterbiev: The Round-by-Round Breakdown From Us
The fight of the year took place last Saturday, as undefeated champions Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev faced off to determine who would become the first undisputed light heavyweight champion of the 21st century. Both fighters displayed tremendous heart and ferocity throughout the battle, but by the end, Beterbiev was declared the victor in what many viewed as a legacy-defining bout.
However, the result sparked outrage, with notable figures like Eddie Hearn, Turki Alashiki, Andre Ward, and millions of viewers claiming that Bivol had actually won. Accusations of rigged scoring intensified when one judge’s scorecard revealed a controversial 116-112 in favor of Beterbiev.
In response, we decided to rewatch the fight, analyze each round carefully, and break down the action to show who truly deserved the win, backing our conclusions with a round-by-round analysis.
Round By Round Analysis
Round 1:
Bivol started strong, holding a strict high guard while Beterbiev applied early pressure, keeping Bivol on the back foot. Both fighters appeared hesitant, feeling each other out.
Bivol managed to control the pace by keeping Beterbiev at the end of his jab, even catching him with a solid 1-2 combination. As the round progressed, both fighters let their hands go, exchanging right hands. Bivol edged the round by landing cleaner shots, though both remained cautious.
Score: 10-9 Bivol
Round 2:
Bivol continued to work his jab effectively, shaking Beterbiev with a hook and landing a clean 1-2. Beterbiev tried to up the pressure but struggled to break Bivol’s rhythm.
Though Beterbiev increased his tempo, Bivol stayed disciplined, consistently sticking him with sharp jabs and 1-2 combinations. Bivol's cleaner work earned him another round.
Score: 10-9 Bivol
Beterbiev came out swinging, but Bivol continued to move on the outside, keeping his high guard intact. Both fighters exchanged jabs, with Bivol landing another clean 1-2 and pushing Beterbiev back.
They both let their hands go, exchanging flurries toward the end. Although Beterbiev began to dominate the ring space, Bivol was able to catch him off guard and land more effective punches.
Score: 10-9 Bivol
Beterbiev ramped up the pressure, but Bivol was able to land cleaner shots off Beterbiev’s jab. Despite Beterbiev’s heavy hitting, he mostly connected with Bivol's guard.
Toward the end, Beterbiev landed a few solid punches, but Bivol was more consistent throughout the round with his jab and 1-2s.
Score: 10-9 Bivol
Beterbiev landed a hard hook to Bivol’s head, increasing his pressure and forcing Bivol to slow his pace. Although Bivol landed a few counters, Beterbiev consistently outworked him with stiff jabs and body shots, catching Bivol off balance at times. Bivol showed signs of fatigue as Beterbiev landed harder, cleaner punches.
Score: 10-9 Beterbiev
Round 6:
Bivol came back with sharp jabs and clean right hands, pushing Beterbiev back with combinations. Beterbiev retaliated with some strong body shots but struggled to penetrate Bivol’s high guard.
Bivol closed the round with a solid 1-2, making this a strong round for him despite Beterbiev's constant pressure.
Score: 10-9 Bivol
Round 7:
After a motivational talk from his corner, Beterbiev came out strong, but Bivol countered effectively, landing a hard right and left hook that hurt Beterbiev.
Though Beterbiev responded with some body work, Bivol controlled most of the round, landing the cleaner, more significant punches.
Score: 10-9 Bivol
Both fighters slowed their pace, with Beterbiev starting to find success with his jab and landing a hard right hand followed by an uppercut.
Bivol tried to come back with flurries but was outlanded by Beterbiev, who was more consistent throughout the round.
Score: 10-9 Beterbiev
Round 9:
Bivol came out aggressively, landing hard shots to Beterbiev’s head and body. Beterbiev kept pushing forward, but Bivol controlled the exchanges, landing clean counters.
Although Beterbiev applied pressure, Bivol’s level-changing and flurries allowed him to dominate the round.
Score: 10-9 Bivol
Round 10:
Beterbiev started strong, landing hard shots on Bivol, who responded with flurries but struggled with volume. Beterbiev worked Bivol’s body effectively and threw more consistent punches throughout the round, though Bivol had some success with counters.
Score: 10-9 Beterbiev
Round 11:
Beterbiev came out with urgency, landing flurries of punches while pushing Bivol back. Though Bivol landed a few solid counters, Beterbiev dominated the round with his body and headwork, unloading punches and keeping Bivol on the defensive.
Score: 10-9 Beterbiev
Beterbiev, determined to finish strong, came out aggressive. Though Bivol landed some good shots, Beterbiev’s body work and relentless pressure earned him the final round. Bivol struggled to mount any significant offense as fatigue set in.
Score: 10-9 Beterbiev
Fight Summary
Bivol started stronger, winning most of the early rounds with cleaner shots and better movement. As the fight progressed, Bivol began to fatigue, allowing Beterbiev to apply more pressure, especially in the later rounds. However, even though Beterbiev was pressuring, Bivol continued to land the cleaner punches and controlled the exchanges in more rounds.
Despite this, Beterbiev’s constant forward pressure may have swayed the judges. The issue lies in the judges’ limited view from ringside, as they often look through the ropes and can’t always see the clean shots Bivol was landing. Instead, they may have been influenced by Beterbiev’s aggression and ring control, even though many of his punches were blocked or missed. This scoring discrepancy can result in fighters who throw more but land less appearing more dominant than they actually are.
In the end, Bivol deserved the win based on round-by-round scoring, but the final ruling went to Beterbiev due to these judging limitations. It raises the question of how better technology or positioning for judges could lead to more accurate scoring in the future.
Final Score: 115-113 in favor of Bivol (in our opinion)