Bivol vs. Beterbiev 7 key takeaways: Dmitry Bivol’s instant classic ensures a rubber match must happen

Dmitry Bivol did “better.”

That was how the understated, undisputed light heavyweight champion explained his career-defining performance to DAZN’s Chris Mannix following his majority decision victory over Artur Beterbiev in their immediate rematch Saturday night. Bivol was much better than “better” during their second fight — and markedly better than he was four months earlier — courageously giving fans an unforgettable conclusion to a stacked pay-per-view show, “The Last Crescendo,” at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

It sure seemed during the third, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds that the aggressive, stronger Beterbiev would wear down Bivol both mentally and physically with his relentless pressure, hard head shots and a firm commitment to body punching. Bivol’s movement kept him at a safe enough distance sometimes to prohibit Beterbiev from overwhelming Bivol with his punishing power.

In the eighth round, however, Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) did more than simply employing a strategy that would help him avoid getting knocked out. The resilient Russian went on the attack and completed a role reversal that enabled him to start landing the more impactful punches, just as Beterbiev started showing signs of fatigue.

That was the round in which Bivol determined it was then or never. If he were to avenge his lone loss, a majority decision to Beterbiev on Oct. 12 at nearby Kingdom Arena, he had to start taking risks more consistently than he did during the final few rounds of their first fight.

The 34-year-old Bivol’s incredible conditioning enabled him to do that and allowed a multi-dimensional champion who doesn’t say much to make quite a statement in a bout fought at a frenetic pace by both boxers. He threw punches in combinations, exchanged with his heavier-handed rival in spots, moved out of harm’s way when necessary, and convinced two judges that he deserved to have his hand raised this time.

Judges Deon Dwarte (115-113) and Mike Fitzgerald (116-112) respectively scored seven and eight rounds for Bivol, who won the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC, WBO and Ring magazine belts from Beterbiev. Judge Jean-Robert Laine gave Bivol and Beterbiev six rounds apiece and had it a draw, 114-114.

“I’m just so happy,” Bivol told Mannix. “I went through a lot last year. … To be honest, I lost and I feel a bit easier maybe; I didn’t pressure [myself] too much this time, like before the last fight. I just wanted to work from the first round until the end of the 12th. And I hoped I did enough, and I won it.”

Whomever you had winning, the strategic yet thoroughly entertaining nature of their dramatic back-and-forth fight left fans much more excited about a potential rubber match than their rematch. Their first fight, which Beterbiev won by majority decision, was an elite-level tactical battle, but not as action-packed as the instant classic they produced in the main event Saturday night.

Beterbiev didn’t dispute the scoring that left the Russian knockout artist with the first defeat on his professional record (21-1, 20 KOs).

“I don’t want to talk about the decision,” Beterbiev said. “I congratulate Bivol, Bivol’s team.

“I don’t know [what was different from the first fight]. I think this fight was better than the first fight. Now [is] my time to come back.”

Before Bivol beat Beterbiev, Joseph Parker, Shakur Stevenson, Carlos Adames (though not officially), Vergil Ortiz Jr., Agit Kabayel and Callum Smith came away winners in fights that fascinated fans to varying degrees as part of this highly anticipated Riyadh Season card, which featured seven championship bouts.

Let’s dig into the rest.

Joseph Parker def. Martin Bakole

The Congolese contender accepted this difficult fight on about 48 hours’ notice, and it showed.

Bakole (21-2, 13 KOs) weighed in at a career high of 315 pounds in the early morning hours of Saturday in Riyadh. Less than 24 hours after he touched down in the comfort of a private jet, Parker’s right hand in the second round made Bakole completely uncomfortable.

That shot caught Bakole on the top of his head and knocked off his equilibrium. Bakole fell flat on his back, and although he beat referee Steve Gray’s count, Bakole clearly was in no condition to continue at 2:17 of the second round.

New Zealand’s Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) didn’t hesitate to take this dangerous substitute for Daniel Dubois once the IBF champion was diagnosed with a viral infection Thursday. Now that Parker has knocked out Bakole, and out-pointed Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder in his past three fights, Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) might move toward a lucrative rematch with former unified champion Anthony Joshua rather than rescheduling the Parker bout.

Shakur Stevenson def. Josh Padley

England’s Padley displayed a huge heart and a sturdy chin in taking punishing punches from Stevenson to his head and body for the better part of nine rounds.

Stevenson sent this late replacement for an ill Floyd Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) to the canvas three times during the ninth round, all with body blows. Padley’s trainer wisely threw in the towel following the third knockdown to end a completely one-sided showcase for Stevenson, who earned a much-needed stoppage following recent pedestrian points victories over Artem Harutyunyan (12-2, 7 KOs) and Edwin De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs).

The left-handed Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs), a three-division champion from Newark, New Jersey — and Uncrowned’s No. 10 pound-for-pound fighter heading into Saturday’s card — fought for the first time since he underwent surgery to repair damage to his right hand in September. He hopes his dominant win over Padley (15-1, 4 KOs) helps him finally land the showdown he wants with WBA lightweight champ Gervonta “Tank” Davis (30-0, 28 KOs), who will defend his title against Lamont Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) in a Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view main event Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz

Adames deserved better than a split draw because the Dominican veteran did more than enough to beat an overhyped British prospect in their 12-round, 160-pound championship match.

The WBC middleweight champion consistently connected with the cleaner, more effective punches against a much taller opponent whose injured jab hand partially prevented him from using one of his best weapons. The 30-year-old Adames also took Sheeraz’s punches well in a fight he won on only one scorecard.

Judge Barry Lindenman scored 10 rounds for Adames, who won 118-110 on his card. Judge Guido Cavalleri somehow scored their fight for the 25-year-old Sheeraz, 115-114, whereas Omar Mintun Sr. had it a draw, 114-114.

The official outcome notwithstanding, there is no need for a rematch because Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) undoubtedly proved his superiority over the 6-foot-3 Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs).

Vergil Ortiz Jr. def. Israil Madrimov

Ortiz’s discipline and consistent aggression enabled him to build a big lead over the first nine rounds against Madrimov, who tested pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford in his previous fight six months earlier at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

The undefeated Ortiz wasn’t spectacular. He did fight through a damaged nose, kept Madrimov mostly on his back foot for three quarters of their 12-round, 154-pound fight for Ortiz’s WBC interim super welterweight title, and took Madrimov’s most damaging punches without incident six months after Ukraine’s Sergii Bohachuk dropped him twice in a highly competitive fight Ortiz won by majority decision. Cavalleri (115-113), Lindenman (115-113) and Kevin Parker (117-111) scored the action for Ortiz, who went the distance for just the second time as a pro (23-0, 21 KOs).

Uzbekistan’s Madrimov lost for just the second time professionally (10-2-1, 7 KOs). He employed an odd strategy in that he was reluctant to engage until the 10th round, by which point it was too late to come back on the scorecards.

Ortiz owes Bohachuk a rematch, though not contractually. There are other options for the Texas native, however, in a stacked 154-pound division that could make him explore avenues aside from a second fight with Ukraine’s Bohachuk (25-2, 24 KOs).

Agit Kabayel def. Zhilei Zhang

Zhang got off to a fast start in the opening round and landed an array of power punches that made it look like he might take out Kabayel early, as the huge Chinese southpaw had promised.

Germany’s Kabayel came back strong in the second round, though, and stood his ground against an opponent whose straight lefts and right hooks wrecked Joe Joyce in their two fights in 2023. Once Kabayel began landing body shots on Zhang, the 6-foot-6, 287-pound former WBO interim champion became less effective.

Zhang (27-3-1, 22 KOs), who implored Kabayel (26-0, 18 KOs) to attack his body the way Kabayel did in knocking out Arslanbek Makhmudov 14 months ago, couldn’t take Kabayel’s body attack either. The 41-year-old contender couldn’t get up in time from a second knockdown and referee Mark Lyson counted him out at 2:29 of the sixth round.

Kabayel’s consecutive victories over Russia’s Makhmudov (19-2, 18 KOs), Cuban contender Frank Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs) and Zhang should secure the WBC interim heavyweight champ a shot at a full title as soon as possible.

Callum Smith def. Joshua Buatsi

Smith and Buatsi set a very high bar in the first relevant pay-per-view fight Saturday night in Riyadh.

They traded hard, often short shots on the inside for much of a light heavyweight battle that was every bit as fan-friendly as the main event between Bivol and Beterbiev. Buatsi (19-1, 13 KOs) hurt Smith with body shots during the third round, before Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) battered Buatsi to the head and body in what was a one-sided sixth round until Buatsi buzzed Smith with a left hook toward the end.

Their 12-round fight for Buatsi’s WBO interim light heavyweight title emerged as a definite “Fight of the Year” candidate that Smith won by unanimous decision.

Judges Richard Blouin (115-113) and Antonio Marogna (116-112) reasonably scored Smith the winner of seven and eight rounds, respectively. The scorecard Steve Gray submitted, 119-110 for Liverpool’s Smith, seemed way too wide, though the right guy clearly won over London’s Buatsi.

A rematch would be fun, but Smith, who has lost to only Beterbiev and undisputed super middleweight champ Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, will likely want to fight someone other than Buatsi next. A bout against David Benavidez would make sense since Benavidez, the WBC interim champ and the WBC’s mandatory challenger for one of Bivol’s belts, won’t be able to battle Bivol next because Beterbiev and Bivol are headed for a third meeting.