DMITRY BIVOL got spectacular rematch revenge over Artur Beterbiev and was crowned undisputed light-heavyweight king at the second attempt.
Last October the brilliant Russian pair went hammer and sickle at each other, over 12 unforgettable Saudi rounds, which 40-year-old Beterbiev controversially won.
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But Bivol was superb in the rerun, dropping only a few rounds against the menacing monster and walking out of Riyadh with a majority decision that probably tees up a mouthwatering trilogy.
The judges decided it correctly this time, the cards read: Deon Dwarte 115-113, Mike Fitzgerald 116-112 and Jean-Robert Laine 114-114.
“I am just so happy,” the 34-year-old beamed.
“I can feel a little easier about the first loss now.
“I worked from the very first round until the last. I was more confident and I just wanted to win so much.
“I am ready for any future challenge but I want a little rest now, to heal and then come back.”
Classy Beterbiev added: “I don’t want to blame anything, I want to congratulate Bivol and his team.
“Now it’s my time to come back.”
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Bivol was up against more than his former Russian amateur national team-mate, again.
Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov was allowed in the British Boxing Board of Control ring, to celebrate, after the end of the controversial first encounter.
And the bearded Vladimir Putin mercenary was back in the Kingdom, with his squad of heavies, to support his defending champion once more.
Bivol wore shocking bright silver gloves, perhaps in the hope that none of his elite technical punches could be missed by the judges who denied him so cruelly last time out.
Beterbiev did his prowling best but didn’t land anything significant.
Bivol’s best blow was a cuffing lead left hook that bashed into Beterbiev’s right ear’ole.
The opener was close but Bivol grabbed the second with both shiny hands.
Beterbiev lunged in too greedily and took a right-hand square on the face that the judges couldn’t ignore.
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And right on the bell he switched stance and threw his left as a backhand, which surprised Beterbiev and scored.
The third round was stunning, Bivol’s hands were so spectacularly fast that Beterbiev could not avoid them and he was soon scarred with a scratch across his forehead.
But the undefeated monster never took a backward step and every punch he threw looked capable of switching Bivol’s lights off.
Thankfully for his title attempt and health, Bivol ducked or parried the most threatening attacks,
Beterbiev stamped his authority on the fight in the fourth, driving Bivol back for every second of the round, never letting him breathe or settle without thundering in a thudding blow.
But the challenger wasn’t buzzed by any, he danced and countered and looked for a chink in his nemesis’ armour.
The ruthless defending champ dominated the fifth too, apart from one flush right hand Bivol landed back, after two minutes of torture, it was the Beterbiev show as he shut down the space in the Riyadh ring and unloaded his arsenal into Bivol’s arms and body.
Six was the same but even more clear for Beterbiev and damaging for Bivol.
In the first clash, Beterbiev showed respect for Bivol’s speed and power but here he was a savage, showing no respect or fear toward his foe.
Bivol’s bright start and reflective kit were starting to dim rapidly, as wave after wave of monochrome Beterbiev attack slowly broke him.
Bivol never stopped trying but he looked like a well-meaning schoolboy trying to shift an immovable object.
Beterbiev – who it has been revealed has unusually large natural testosterone levels for a man of his age – looked unbeatable.
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Round eight was even and exciting again, though, Bivol stemmed the tide from turning totally against him and he should have made the judges think very carefully about their scoring.
Nine was a boxing clinic from Bivol, Beterbiev’s ability to cut down and control a ring failed him as he was peppered with shots every time he tried to suffocate Bivol of space.
It was a brilliant resurgence from the man who looked beaten in the middle sessions.
The tenth was an even affair until the final 10 seconds when Bivol – using a trick right out of the amateur ranks – flew up the gears in the final few moments in a late effort to steal a round that the judges might be undecided on.
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The eleventh was an honour to watch, a blend of violence and elite technical sport.
But no glove taps or even nods at the end of each stanza – just pure competition.
There was a touch of gloves before the final instalment though, English ref Kevin Parker insisted on it.
Beterbiev – now with red marks on both sides of his forehead, almost like horns were about to burst out of his skin – put his foot down and chased Bivol around the ring.
They clashed, they slashed at each other and then the bell rang to end the 24th sublime round.
They did embrace – Bivol told us pre-fight that they wouldn’t fake a bond – but Beterbiev opened his arms and insisted on it.
It was the perfect end to an iconic boxing rivalry that looks like reaching a hat-trick.
