Dmitry Bivol became the undisputed light heavyweight champion with an impressive majority decision victory in a rematch against Artur Beterbiev on Saturday. And while the margin on the scorecards wasn’t that big, Bivol dominated Beterbiev for long parts of the fight. While many thought he also won the first encounter, one that Beterbiev edged by majority decision, is a trilogy the best way to go? How about Bivol versus secondary champion David Benavidez?
In the heavyweight division, Joseph Parker demolished late replacement Martin Bakole in two rounds, after IBF champion Daniel Dubois was forced to withdraw due to illness just two days before the bout. Will Parker get a chance to face unified champion Oleksandr Usyk next?
And how about Shakur Stevenson? He scored just his second stoppage win in his last six fights, and while the lightweight is one of the best fighters in the world, after going nine rounds with Josh Padley — a late replacement fighter that had no business contending with him in the ring– is Stevenson still must see?
Vergil Ortiz Jr. earned a great win over Ismail Madrimov showing he’s the best fighter at 154 pounds not named Terence Crawford. With Crawford moving up to super middleweight to face Canelo Alvarez in September, can anyone compete with Ortiz in the division? Might unified champion Sebastian Fundora be a great option for a next opponent?
Andreas Hale, Nick Parkinson and James Regan share their thoughts.
Can the trilogy fight surpass the first two? Let’s find out
Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev’s first clash back last October was so enthralling, it was hard to imagine things could get better. Yet somehow, in the early hours of Sunday morning in Riyadh, the two best light heavyweights put on an even better show that leaves fans wanting more.
The first fight, which Beterbiev won by a wafer-thin decision to take the undisputed crown, was a technical, skillful display. Saturday’s rematch was more brutal, ferocious and captivating as Bivol snatched the belts off Beterbiev.
It poses the question: What on earth could a third fight possibly look like? Surely, it should be the fight that everybody wants.
Both men were exhausted after the final bell and will need time to recover. When the time is right, though, it is a rivalry befitting a trilogy.
Bivol has been linked with fights against David Benavidez and a rematch with Canelo Alvarez, but they can wait.
Beterbiev certainly won’t want Bivol to move on any time soon.
Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, was seen holding three fingers up to Beterbiev after the result, indicating that he wants them to go again as well. With the 24 rounds we’ve already seen, you can’t blame him.
Bivol came out like a man possessed, throwing everything at Beterbiev from the start. Beterbiev had his success, but Bivol was too slick and too powerful this time. He looked like a man who had been stewing in defeat for the past four months. That’s how Beterbiev will be feeling now. It would be a disservice to boxing to leave the ledger at 1-1.
However, time is not on their side, though. Beterbiev turned 40 in January, while Bivol is 34. Once the emotions have settled and wounds healed, you’d think they would be up for another go.
Fans certainly will be hoping so. — Regan
Stevenson is still elite but not must-see TV
0:45
How Shakur Stevenson retained his WBC lightweight title
Recap Shakur Stevenson’s second WBC lightweight title defense with his win over Josh Padley.
I hate to say that a fighter needed to win by knockout but that is exactly what Shakur Stevenson had to do against late replacement Josh Padley. However, even with the ninth-round stoppage, fans were left frustrated with Stevenson’s performance against an opponent that he was levels above.
It continues a trend where Stevenson remains head and shoulders above the competition but his risk-averse approach to fighting has turned off fight fans who want more than a perfect application of the sweet science.
Stevenson’s original opponent, Floyd Schofield, was also expected to be overmatched but had the skills to potentially push the champion to slide out of his comfort zone and engage in a fight rather than a tactical boxing match. Once Schofield was ruled out due to illness and the unheralded Padley stepped in, the expectation was for Stevenson to swiftly dispatch his opposition. Instead, Stevenson plucked away as he normally does, even though it felt like he could end the fight whenever he wanted to. As the fight dragged into the later rounds, social media lit up with criticism of Stevenson’s inability to finish opponents.
To be clear: Stevenson is arguably the premier tactician in the sport with brilliant defense utilizing almost superhuman reflexes. But fight fans want to be entertained, and the 27-year-old simply hasn’t done that. His brittle hands could be to blame, and Stevenson was seen wincing Saturday from a possible injury after landing a punch in the middle rounds. Unfortunately for him, fight fans desire knockouts over decisions.
Maybe it’s time for Stevenson to embrace the hate and take a page out of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s playbook by making fans want to pay to see him lose. It would be an easy way to mask his lack of finishing prowess, making people invest in his downfall and never giving it to them. — Hale
Will Usyk fight Parker or Dubois next?
Joseph Parker continued his fine form with a two-round demolition job on Martin Bakole, but the TKO win over a late replacement might not be enough to earn him a world heavyweight title shot next.
That’s because Daniel Dubois, whom Parker was supposed to fight Saturday but pulled out due to illness days before the scheduled IBF world heavyweight title fight, could be at the front of the line to face Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed title fight. Facing Usyk would be more prestigious and lucrative for Dubois, but Parker will get his shot this year as the strongest contender.
While former champions Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder have seen their careers falter (and even end, in the case of Fury), Parker is in the best form of his life. The New Zealander is boxing better now than when he was the WBO world champion (2016-2018) and has turned his career around since the Round 11 KO defeat to Joe Joyce in September 2022.
Parker won his sixth consecutive fight, following points wins over Zhilei Zhang and Wilder. Parker had to dig deep and get off the canvas twice against Zhang, while against Bakole he showed he can finish.
After Joshua was KO’d in five rounds by Dubois last September, Parker leads a list of contenders including Agit Kabayel, who got off the canvas to score a career-best Round 6 win over Zhang on Saturday. — Parkinson
Vergil Ortiz Jr. ready to contend in the 154-pound division
Vergil Ortiz Jr. might not have gotten the stoppage win he always craves, but his unanimous decision (115-113, 115-113 and 117-111) win over Israil Madrimov is arguably the best performance of his career.
The 26-year-old Ortiz showed not only great punch volume but also discipline to avoid leaving himself overexposed. This win is as good as any of his knockouts for overcoming one of the best at junior middleweight. Madrimov (10-2-1, 7 KOs), who gave Terence Crawford a close fight last August, pushed Ortiz as the Texan defended his fringe WBC interim junior middleweight title. Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), who defends his WBC and WBO belts versus Chordale Booker on March 22, is now in Ortiz’s sights.
“I want to fight the best, I’ve never ducked anybody,” Ortiz said. “I’m very happy, I knew I was the better fighter. All respect to Madrimov, but I stayed patient and didn’t overthrow. I had to be smart and pick my punches.”
Madrimov, 29, had his moments but Ortiz had a big Round 9, finishing with a pinpoint right hand through the guard to the chin. It was Ortiz at his best, landing shots from a variety of angles with venom, and it was a pivotal moment in the fight. In Round 10, Ortiz produced some stunning shots, but then he had to withstand some heavy shots from a revitalized Madrimov in Round 11. It was a difficult test for Ortiz, but he came through and looks ready for anyone at 154 pounds. — Parkinson
This post was originally published on this site