Ten things we learned from Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol

1 Some people think Beterbiev won

Punctuated by a big finish in rounds 11 and 12, Beterbiev’s performance was one of aggression, forward motion, and heavy punches, and this, for some, was enough to earn a decision. Despite a slow start, and despite being outboxed at times, he came on strong when it mattered and did the greater damage. 

2 Some people think Bivol won

Although on the retreat for most of the fight, Bivol displayed remarkable poise, composure and combination punching through large portions of it and this, for some, was enough to earn a decision. Until the championship rounds came along, he appeared on course to execute his game plan and leave with the belts. 

3 Beterbiev starts slow, finishes strong

Much was made pre-fight of Beterbiev’s tendency to start slow and this was again the case against Bivol, particularly in the first three rounds. To his credit, though, he was as impactful in the final three rounds as he was impotent in the first three, capitalising on his body attack and pressure to get Bivol where he wanted him. 

4 You can’t judge a fight on a fighter’s face

In an effort to give weight to their argument, some of the people who scored the fight in Beterbiev’s favor have used the state of Bivol’s face at its conclusion as evidence of the winner’s superiority. To do this is wrong, however. It is wrong because a lot of the damage done to Bivol’s face was done late, at the point at which it is widely accepted Beterbiev came on strong and Bivol flagged. It is also wrong because Beterbiev is clearly the puncher of the two and was expected to do the greater damage when he landed. 

5 Beterbiev and Bivol don’t play games

After waiting almost an hour and a half, and enduring performances from not one but three washed-up musicians, it came as a relief when Beterbiev and Bivol finally made their way to the ring. Better yet, whereas some fighters would have chosen to milk their entrances and prolong an already painful process, these two did quite the opposite. First Beterbiev jogged to the ring and then Bivol, just as eager, did the same. We knew at that point that the world’s two best light heavyweights were cut from a different cloth. 

6 A different kind of toughness

Any fighter who sets foot in a ring and trades punches with an opponent can be considered tough, yet there are different levels of toughness in a sport that both requires and tests it. In the case of Beterbiev and Bivol, you saw examples of durability, obstinance and stoicism in every round. You saw Bivol eat Beterbiev right hands in a way no opponent had previously managed, and you also saw Beterbiev motor forward undeterred despite being tagged by combinations, certain that this approach would pay dividends late on. 

7 They are the best

If it wasn’t clear beforehand, and it should have been, there can now be no doubt that Beterbiev and Bivol are the two best light heavyweights on the planet. After all, to produce a fight of such high quality, the two fighters involved have to be elite, almost perfect. And these two, regardless of who deserved the victory, were as good as it gets. 

8 A rematch will be just as close

Like all the best rivalries, it is hard to imagine a rematch between these two being any different than the first. It will be a close-run thing, irrespective of who wins, and there will always be an element of controversy simply because they are so well matched and so different in terms of style and how they carry themselves in the ring. 

9 Sometimes you need a knockout

As thrilling as it was to see two masterful technicians go about their work for 12 rounds, there was then a sinking feeling afterwards when it dawned on you that this fight would now be decided by three men sitting outside the ring. It seemed almost inappropriate for a fight of that quality to be decided in such a haphazard way. Moreover, with it being so close, and with it now coming down to opinion, no truly satisfying resolution could ever be found. 

10 Both reacted to the decision with humility

Rather than make a scene, or cry robbery, Dmitry Bivol took the first loss of his pro career with dignity and even expressed his frustration at not doing better. Beterbiev, too, was every bit as humble, resisting the temptation to boast or give the impression that he won the fight clearly. “I did not good today,” he said in the ring after the decision. “I wanted more quality. I don’t know why. I didn’t like this fight. But I’ll be better one day.”