Artur Beterbiev emerged victorious in a contentious battle against Dmitry Bivol, becoming the undisputed light-heavyweight champion. The bout took place in Saudi Arabia, with Beterbiev already holding the WBC, WBO, and IBF belts. The victory now sees him adding Bivol’s WBA title to his collection, making him the first undisputed light-heavyweight champion to hold all four major belts since Roy Jones Jr in 2002.
The official scorecards from each judge have been revealed, showing a majority decision in Beterbiev’s favor with scores of 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112. The final scorecard, in particular, raised eyebrows as the fight was seen as closely contested with little to separate the fighters. Many expected a narrow victory for either fighter or even a draw, making the 116-112 scorecard a point of contention.
Judge Pawel Kardyni, who authored the controversial scorecard, gave Beterbiev every round from the third to the seventh and finished strong in the 10th, 11th, and 12th rounds. The disparity in scores mainly stemmed from disagreements in the fourth and sixth rounds. Despite the close nature of the fight, Kardyni stood out by awarding Beterbiev a significant advantage.
After suffering the first loss of Bivol’s professional career, promoter Eddie Hearn vehemently criticized the decision, singling out judge Kardyni for his scorecard. Hearn described the 116-112 score as “disgusting” and believed that the judge should never officiate again. Bivol’s corner also expressed disbelief at the wide margin of victory awarded to Beterbiev, with Hearn and Frank Warren echoing similar sentiments about the decision.
Warren revealed that he scored the fight in favor of Bivol by “a couple of rounds,” deeming the 116-112 scorecard as “ridiculous” and “a joke.” The aftermath of the fight has sparked discussions and debates within the boxing community about the integrity of judging in high-stakes matches.
The controversy surrounding the official scorecards has underscored the need for transparency and accountability in boxing judging, especially in fights of significant magnitude. The contentious outcome of the Beterbiev vs Bivol clash has left fans and pundits alike questioning the fairness and accuracy of scoring in professional boxing matches.