Dmitry Bivol defeats Beterbiev to become new light-heavyweight champion

After six fantastic fights in the main part of the spectacular event "The Last Crescendo", the two biggest stars of the evening, the two best light heavyweights of today - Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, stepped into the ring. The forty-year-old Chechen (with a Canadian passport) and the six-year-younger Kyrgyz fought in mid-October, when Beterbiev celebrated, and tonight it was the turn of the second part of this great boxing epic. After 12 rounds of top-notch boxing, Bivol emerged as the winner, with a majority decision (114-114, 116-112, 115-113), thus inflicting the first defeat of Beterbiev's professional career and taking away his throne as the absolute king of the "light heavyweight" division.

Beterbiev dominant at the beginning

Both boxers resolutely moved towards the center of the ring immediately after the starting gong, followed by an exchange of blows, both to the body and to the head. Over time, the notoriously aggressive Beterbiev took the initiative, but Bivol, in his own way, countered well from a distance. Such sequences were seen throughout the first round. 

The Chechen continued to be aggressive in the second part, constantly moving forward, but Bivol avoided his attacks, countering with quick counters, landing several good direct blows to the head. Bivol's great movement around the ring, constantly moving his head, made his attacks difficult to hit. The fight seemed exciting at almost every moment.

Bivol takes control

The beginning of the third round brought repeated scenarios. Beterbiev continued to attack, but Bivol fought back better and more accurately, hitting the head of his 40-year-old opponent. Entering the last minute of the third round, the Kyrgyz man delivered a good combination of blows, repeating it 30 seconds later. In the finale of the round, Beterbiev responded with good body blows.

Throughout the match, Bivol looked better and better, managing to take more and more control. In several rounds, he successfully neutralized Beterbiev's attacks, boxing fluidly, precisely and efficiently. This momentum of the Kyrgyz was evident in the last rounds, when he completely turned the situation around and secured the victory for himself.