Furious Eddie Hearn has criticised a boxing judge following Dmitry Bivol’s loss to Artur Beterbiev for the world champion title. Beterbiev claimed victory over Bivol by majority decision in Riyadh, becoming the undisputed light-heavyweight world champion on Saturday.
During the closely contested fight, judges scored it 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112 in favor of Beterbiev, who now holds the WBA crown alongside his WBC, WBO, and IBF titles. In a post-fight press conference, Hearn expressed his disbelief at the decision, stating, “I struggled to find anybody on our row, the row behind, the TV rows, who didn’t score the fight to Dmitry Bivol.”
Hearn went on to criticise the judge who scored the fight 116-112 in Bivol’s favor, saying, “To find a judge who gave it 116-112 and give Dmitry Bivol four rounds in that fight – this judge should never work in this sport again. I’m sorry.”
The boxing world has been left in uproar over the judge’s decision, with many questioning the validity of the scoring and calling for greater transparency and fairness in the sport. Hearn’s outspoken criticism has shed light on the need for accountability and integrity in boxing judging to uphold the credibility of the sport.
As discussions around the controversial decision continue to unfold, it remains to be seen how boxing authorities will address the issue to ensure fair outcomes and maintain the trust of fans and fighters alike.