Beterbiev vs Bivol 2 - fight thread

[Theshotyoudontsee]

Jesus. Bivol running and running and then flurrying the last 30 seconds of rounds is incredible. Bivol was smart to wait until Biev was 40. Biev is aging and a few years ago he crumples Bivol.

Zero idea how anyone can watch Bivol run and run against Biev and scream for joy. Biev rocked him several times.

Just amazing.

[sunny31]

Maybe I understood Beterbiev but did he say he didnt want the second fight when asked about the third fight?

Yeah I remember him saying at the end of the first fight that it was a really tough fight and he'd prefer not to have the rematch.

The Saudi money got him back lol

I find both of these guys refreshingly honest, class act - both of them

[Superbee]

Maybe I understood Beterbiev but did he say he didnt want the second fight when asked about the third fight?

Read it as "I didn't want to win so close to call for a second fight..."... He never ever said no, and indeed called it in the ring right after the first fight...

[Joseph]

Beterbiev was clearly being facetious. FFS people.

[Jo*]

Beterbiev commanded the ring, pursued / chased Bivol every round, landed effectively, and sliced him open. Bivol ran, stopped briefly to lash out now and then, and ran again. An even more obvious victory for Artur than the first fight.
I could smell this result coming though. Between round highlights showed the few punches landed by Bivol from several angles so the narrative was he was dominating Artur. Announcers so biased I turned off the sound after the first round.
Seriously: exactly what did Bivol do to earn the win over the champ?

Bivol hit Beterbiev more and cleaner this time around. He dominated the later rounds, except perhaps the 12th. He did just enough to won imo.

[madhive]

Dubois and Stevenson pulling out of their fights really put a damper on this fight card. I'm ready for the Junto fight come Monday.

[Zelda]

I thought it was 114 - 114. Bivol is lucky to get the decision. I am okay with 115-113 for either side but I felt that the 116-112 score was ridiculous. I think a draw would have been more fair.

Certainly, this was a deserving fight for a draw compared to Sheeraz - Adames in which I think Sheeraz froze. They took him from the British level to the championship fight which made him too cautious and reluctant to let his hands go.

[jas]

Eddie hearn definitely influences judging. Scolds any scorecard that doesnt go to his fighter in a close fight and screams during the fight .

[HisExcellency]

It was yet another close fight…I thought Beterbiev nicked this one but I thought Bivol won the first so it evens itself out.

[Damn Wicked]

Great fight!

It looked bad for Bivol between rounds 3 to 6. Artur seemed to run out of gas a bit after that but still hung tight to make it a very close fight.
Bivol lost the last round again. He's lucky it didn't cost him this time!