Comments Thread For: Artur Beterbiev unifies light heavyweight titles after brilliant fight with Dmitry Bivol

[PNUT901]

I know but I was in the bed with my lady watching a movie and I didn't want to leave and go downstairs to watch the fight live. That would've started WWlll in here and I don't feel like fuqing up a Saturday evening lol

I hope that she made it worth your while to miss the fight.

[Ironman1235]

Beterbiev’s corner told him he needed to ko Bivol to win, enough said.

[sweetlover1988]

I have noticed something very strange in these comments. As usual in a close fight, fans opinion is divided on who won the fight. Everybody has their own arguments and their own way of scoring et etc.

However, this is the first time that I have read a number of comments saying - I picked Beterbiev to win, I am Canadian, I am a Beterbiev fan BUT I think he lost and Bivol got robbed. Perhaps I am wrong but I have never seen so many fans (in a close fight) openly admitting their favorite fighter lost. By the way I have not read a single comment saying I am a Bivol fan but I thought he lost, he should have done more.

You took the words outta my mouth. But tbh I was expecting that. Not sure if its because some people lost money on Bivol but its getting weird.

[sweetlover1988]

I cant take anyone serious that start their sentence saying that it was an easy W for either guy. If you really do think that, you either have no clue what youre watching or youre letting the emotions take over.

This was as close as it can be. Bivol was doing well in the early rounds (I had him up 4-1 going into the 6th) and from there it was getting even. At the end I had it 115-113 Beterbiev and Bivol should be angry at himself for pretty much giving the last 3 rounds. It was so close that had he won only a round out of the last 3 it wouldve been a draw.

Its honestly laughable and funny seeing some people all in their feelings over that decision claiming it was a robbery lmao. I get it you lost a bet yesterday thats ok. But this a robbery? get your eyes checked.

Why is it that nowadays every close fight is a robbery?

[sweetlover1988]

I didn’t have a horse in the race. I was expecting a hotly contested, highly entertaining and crowd pleasing fight. However, it was not even close.

What we got was a dominating performance by Dmitry Bivol. Yes, while Beterbiev was the aggressor and yet he was not the effective aggressor.

Not once did he ever cut off the ring. Bivol was catching him flush each and every time he decided to open up and unleash his combination punches on him.

He even snapped Artur’s head back on multiple occasions with his combination punches.. Beterbiev’s punches were largely blocked, parried or were glancing shots.

Not once did Beterbiev ever had Bivol in danger of getting stopped. I thought Beterbiev would slowly break him down and eventually knock him out but I was wrong.

Dmitry won this fight hands down. The fix was in. Even Timothy Bradley had been instructed to put his pom poms down praising Bivol.

It’s because Artur Beterbiev was the house fighter. He is affiliated with ESPN and Top Rank.

Based on your response, you seems heavily emotionally invested for someone that dont have a worse in the race... like really.

[TheOneAboveAll]

Scoring criteria:

1. Clean Punching: Big edge to Bivol

Beterbiev landed very few clean punches while Bivol landed several.

2. Effective Agressiveness: Slight edge to Beterbiev

For most of the fight Beterbiev's aggression was not effective; however, the last two rounds it was.

3. Ring Generalship/Ring Control: Slight edge to Bivol

Bivol seemed to be in control for most of the fight. Bivol was throwing combos when he wanted to, counterpunching nicely, moving Beterbiev around the ring. Beterbiev was not cutting off the ring efficiently for most of the fight.

4. Defense: Bivol

Is there any question who had the better defense?


Winner: Bivol

Any fan with the capacity for rational thought understands that, once again, the problem with boxing isn't the judges, but rather the inane scoring system which poses four competing scoring criteria. These scoring criteria are not officially prioritized, so this allows scorers to pick and choose which criterion they want to emphasize and give primacy to while deprioritizing or outright dismissing the other criteria. Any thinking fan (even a rank noob) can understand how this would be problematic to fair and reasonable scoring. Among many obvious problems, the 4-criteria judging system allows scorers to adapt the scoring to their favorite fighter's style. If their fighter is a big puncher they would focus on heavy landed shots (as they should), but if their fighter is Jamaine Ortiz then they would likely prioritize the scoring of defense or ring generalship (the dumbest, vaguest criteria of all).

No other competitive sport does what boxing does. Imagine if basketball had a scoring system with four competing scoring criteria (points scored, defense, aggressiveness and floor management (aka ring generalship)? We could see winning teams who actually score less points win a world championship because they played like the Globetrotters. That would be ridiculous, but that's precisely what happens with boxing. Fix the dumb scoring system. The one and only scoring criteria that matters is Clean, Hard Punching. Everything else is incidental to this.

Bonus Suggestions: 1. Promote scoring even rounds for even rounds, instead of forcing a 10-9 round (what a concept) 2. Get rid of the arbitrary 10-pt must system.

[PNUT901]

I cant take anyone serious that start their sentence saying that it was an easy W for either guy. If you really do think that, you either have no clue what youre watching or youre letting the emotions take over.

This was as close as it can be. Bivol was doing well in the early rounds (I had him up 4-1 going into the 6th) and from there it was getting even. At the end I had it 115-113 Beterbiev and Bivol should be angry at himself for pretty much giving the last 3 rounds. It was so close that had he won only a round out of the last 3 it wouldve been a draw.

Its honestly laughable and funny seeing some people all in their feelings over that decision claiming it was a robbery lmao. I get it you lost a bet yesterday thats ok. But this a robbery? get your eyes checked.

Why is it that nowadays every close fight is a robbery?

I think that it's because people see everything in black and white while missing the gray. People want to be right , for some it's almost a need. It was a close fight and a reasonable argument could be made for either guy deserving the nod in my opinion. I was pulling for Beterbiev but I don't think that it's at all unreasonable to believe that Bivol won. I didn't score it while watching it , but at the end I really wasn't expecting Artur to get the decision.

[sweetlover1988]

I think that it's because people see everything in black and white while missing the gray. People want to be right , for some it's almost a need. It was a close fight and a reasonable argument could be made for either guy deserving the nod in my opinion. I was pulling for Beterbiev but I don't think that it's at all unreasonable to believe that Bivol won. I didn't score it while watching it , but at the end I really wasn't expecting Artur to get the decision.

Even though I thought Beterbiev won 115-113, I really thought the judge would give it to Bivol (especially when I heard the UD). It was a weird fight tbh... very technical and wasnt really fan friendly. Not much happened but once again, were talking about 2 guys that are P4P top 10.

Im all for the rematch. Bivol deserves it and as you said it couldve easily been 115-113 for him. Any 116-112 or 117-113 for either of them is suspect IMO.

[Superbee]

Even though I thought Beterbiev won 115-113, I really thought the judge would give it to Bivol (especially when I heard the UD). It was a weird fight tbh... very technical and wasnt really fan friendly. Not much happened but once again, were talking about 2 guys that are P4P top 10.

Im all for the rematch. Bivol deserves it and as you said it couldve easily been 115-113 for him. Any 116-112 or 117-113 for either of them is suspect IMO.

A lot actually happened IMO ...

• Bivol resigning to fight Beterbiev's fight because Artur wouldn't leave him an inch to fight his...
• Beterbiev able to apply pressure like he usually does but unable to land the mighty overhand right cleanly ...
• Bivol's ability to evade the ropes at any time. I remember maybe 2 instances where Beterbiev was actually able to do his usual Body-Body-Head combos leaning on the ropes...
• Beterbiev suffocating pressure and activity...
• Bivol over-par defense not letting much go through but still getting painted from blocking the shots...
• Most of all, the lowest landing % ever from Beterbiev was enough to be on par Bivol's actual landing shots count...

Actually a fascinating fight from the Boxing 101 side of things... Would watch again !

[vitali1999]

Russia won, what a surprise