In the aftermath of the thrilling battle between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight crown, Saudi Arabia's Turki Alalshikh is already calling for a rematch. The WBA champion Bivol lost by a majority decision in a fight where many fans felt the scorecards could have gone either way. The judges scored it 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112 in favor of Beterbiev, who retained his IBF, WBO, and WBC titles.
Alalshikh expressed his disagreement with the decision, stating that Bivol deserved the win by at least a couple of rounds. He noted that Bivol's fading performance in the final rounds gave Beterbiev the edge, but he still believed that the WBA champ had done enough early in the fight to take the victory.
Beterbiev’s pressure and power took over in the later rounds, with many fans and analysts agreeing that Bivol, who was more active in the early stages, struggled to keep up as the fight wore on. Alalshikh believes that Beterbiev’s experience and strength shone through, but he’s still pushing for a rematch to settle any lingering doubts.
The prospect of a rematch is already gaining momentum, with both fighters likely to agree, especially given the financial incentives and the chance to cement their legacy further. Beterbiev, known for his knockout power, would likely take an even more aggressive approach in a second meeting, while Bivol would aim to correct the mistakes that cost him the decision.
Whether or not a rematch happens, it’s clear that both fighters left everything in the ring, and we all would be eager to see them go head-to-head once more.
Watch Artur Beterbiev's post-fight press conference: Watch
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