Honestly, the air in Riyadh felt different on February 22, 2025. It wasn't just the desert heat or the glitz of another "Riyadh Season" spectacle. It was the feeling that we were finally getting the truth. For years, the boxing world was split down the middle. You had the Bivol purists—the ones who worship footwork and the "sweet science." Then you had the Beterbiev believers, who figured that no matter how pretty you dance, eventually, the monster catches you.
When Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev first happened back in October 2024, it left a sour taste. Beterbiev walked away with the belts, but half the world thought Bivol was robbed. One judge turned in a 116-112 card that looked like it was from a completely different fight. It was a mess. But that’s the thing about boxing; the scorecards often tell a story that the fans in the cheap seats just don't see. Or maybe it's the other way around.
Why Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev Was Never Just a Fight
This wasn't some influencer circus. This was the first time in 22 years—since the legendary Roy Jones Jr.—that someone was fighting to be the undisputed king of the light heavyweights. 175 pounds. The "dead zone" of boxing for a decade was suddenly the hottest place on Earth.
You've got Bivol, the guy who made Canelo Alvarez look like an amateur. He's got that rhythmic, bouncing style. He sticks that jab in your face and he’s gone before you can blink. Then you have Beterbiev. The man is 40 years old now, which is basically ancient in boxing years. But he has this terrifying, heavy-handed pressure that feels like a slow-moving avalanche. Before the first fight, he had a 100% knockout rate. Nobody had ever seen the final bell with him.
Bivol changed that. He proved you could survive the monster. But surviving isn't the same as winning.
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The Rematch: What Really Changed?
In the second fight, Bivol didn't just try to survive. He decided to take it. He looked "lighter," as he put it after the fight. More confident. He wasn't just running; he was countering with purpose.
The stats from CompuBox tell a wild story here. In that February rematch, Bivol outlanded Beterbiev 170 to 121. That is a massive gap at this level. He was hitting Beterbiev with nearly 40% of his power shots. Think about that. A guy known for being a "safety-first" boxer was suddenly sitting down on his punches against the hardest hitter in the division.
It worked. Mostly.
The scores were a mirror image of the first fight: 114-114, 116-112, and 115-113. This time, they went to Bivol. He avenged his only loss, snatched back the WBA title, and grabbed the WBC, WBO, and IBF straps. He became the undisputed king. But even then, Beterbiev didn't go quietly. In the 12th round, he rallied so hard he opened a nasty cut on Bivol's eye. If there were a 13th round, Bivol might have been in serious trouble.
The Controversy Nobody Talks About
People love to scream "robbery" whenever their favorite fighter loses a close one. After the first Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev fight, the internet exploded. Eddie Hearn was losing his mind. Fans were claiming the sport was rigged.
But here’s the reality: boxing is scored round by round, not by who looks "better" overall. If you win seven rounds by a hair, and lose five rounds by a landslide, you still win the fight. Beterbiev won the first fight because he stayed busier in the eyes of the judges. He threw over 600 punches. Bivol was more accurate, sure, but he spent long stretches just defending. Judges reward aggression. It's kinda how the game works.
In the rematch, Bivol fixed the "optics." He stayed active in the middle rounds (4 through 6) where he used to take breaks. He forced Beterbiev to look his age.
The Toll of the War
We shouldn't ignore how much these two have beaten out of each other. Bivol admitted after the rematch that he’d been living on anti-inflammatories just to get through camp. He’s 34, but his body is starting to scream. Beterbiev, at 40, looks like he’s finally hitting the wall. His eyes were swollen shut, and his forehead was a mess of red marks.
He didn't even shake Bivol's hand after the second fight. There’s genuine bitterness there now.
What’s Next for the 175-lb Throne?
Turki Alalshikh, the guy basically bankrolling the sport right now, was seen ringside holding up three fingers. He wants the trilogy. We all do. A 1-1 split demands a tiebreaker.
But there’s a giant shadow looming over the division: David Benavidez. The "Mexican Monster" has moved up to light heavyweight and he's the mandatory for the WBC. He’s younger, faster, and throws more punches than almost anyone. If Bivol and Beterbiev spend 2026 fighting each other for a third time, Benavidez is going to be waiting to pick up the pieces.
Actionable Insights for Boxing Fans
If you're following this saga, don't just look at the highlight reels. To really understand why these fights go the way they do, you've gotta watch the feet.
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- Watch the lead foot: In the rematch, Bivol kept his lead foot outside of Beterbiev's, which allowed him to pivot away from the power right hand.
- Count the "activity gaps": Beterbiev wins rounds when his opponent stops punching for more than 20 seconds. Bivol closed those gaps in the second fight.
- Look at the body work: Beterbiev slowed Bivol down in the first fight with digging shots to the ribs. Bivol countered this in the rematch by keeping a tighter elbow-to-body guard.
Keep an eye on the injury reports. Bivol is currently taking a well-deserved break to heal up. Beterbiev is already talking about a "road to redemption" fight in late 2025 or early 2026. The third fight is coming, but both men are one bad camp away from retirement.
Check the official rankings for the WBC and WBA regularly. If Bivol is forced to fight Benavidez before the Beterbiev trilogy, the whole landscape changes. You should also watch Beterbiev's next "keep busy" fight—if he struggles with a mid-tier contender, the age factor has officially taken over.