Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 fight results: Live boxing updates, highlights, scorecard, start time – CBS Sports
If not listed, please contact your TV provider.Four months after fading during the championship rounds and losing his undisputed light heavyweight title clash against Artur Beterbiev via disputed decision, Dmitry Bivol said all throughout fight week that he just needed to do more.On Saturday, inside The Venue Riyadh Season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) did exactly that and it was just barely enough to flip the decision in his favor after 12 more tense, tactical and fast-paced rounds. Bivol scored a majority decision via judges’ scores of 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113 over Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs). CBS Sports also scored the fight 115-113 for Bivol.Bivol, 34, avenged his lone defeat and regained the WBA title he first captured in 2017, along with the WBC, WBO and IBF straps from Beterbiev. And he did so surviving a furious mid-round surge from Beterbiev before standing firm and taking the fight to his 40-year-old opponent over the second half.The judges’ scores turned out to be the same as the first fight, only inverted in favor of Bivol, who outlanded Beterbiev by a margin of 170 to 121, according to CompuBox. Bivol, a native of Kyrgyzstan, also connected just shy of 40% of his power shots as he landed the cleaner punches overall in this battle of stiff jabs, defense and constant adjustments.”I went through a lot these last years, thank you everybody so much,” Bivol said. “To be honest, I lost [the first fight] and I felt a little bit easier, maybe. I didn’t [put] pressure too much [on myself] this time like before last fight and I just wanted to work from the first round until the end of the 12th. I hoped I had done enough and now I have these belts.”Bivol not only didn’t fade late in the rematch, he was the fresher fighter throughout most of the second half as he outlanded Beterbiev, a native of Russia who fights out of Montreal, in five of the last six rounds. Bivol countered beautifully with combinations and stepped up his defense to slow Beterbiev’s aggressive attack to the body.The 170 punches landed by Bivol were the most of any Beterbiev opponent to date. Bivol, who snapped Beterbiev’s career-long knockout streak in their first meeting, also upped his output by 11 punches per round compared to their first meeting.”[The difference in the rematch was] just me, I was better, I was pushing myself more,” Bivol said. “I was more confident, I was lighter. I just wanted to win so much today.”Beterbiev finished the fight with swelling around both eyes and a road map of red blemishes on his forehead. He did, however, rally late in Round 12 to open a cut on Bivol’s left eye after the both connected on big right hands at the same time.”I don’t want to talk about the decision this time,” Beterbiev said. “I can only congratulate Bivol and his team.”Bivol got off to a quick start behind his jab in the opening three rounds against the notoriously slow-starting Beterbiev. But the defending champion stepped on the gas considerably between Round 4-6 and was simply all over Bivol with combinations to the body and constant flurrying to cut off the ring.”I just told myself he could start from the beginning to disturb me,” Bivol said. “It was hard, to be honest, to keep him on the distance for the first four rounds and then I saw that he was tired. I was tired but so was he, so I knew I had to be smarter with clean punches, only. I did it.”The Bivol victory sets up an obvious trilogy bout as Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s general entertainment authority who oversees the nation’s recent takeover of boxing, was seen ringside throwing up three fingers in the direction of Beterbiev to signify the need for a third fight.”Now, it’s my time to come back,” Beterbiev said. “Actually, I didn’t want second fight, too. It wasn’t my choosing but no problem. We are going to do third fight, maybe.”Bivol said he is open to a trilogy but needs time to recover from enduring 24 rounds against Beterbiev in just 112 days.”I’m ready for any challenge in the future but I want a little bit rest because I have some injuries in the summer and this time, I had injuries and was using anti-inflammation almost all camp,” Bivol said. “I want a little bit to heal myself and come back.”Elsewhere on the card, Joseph Parker handled his business against Martin Bakole at heavyweight. Bakole was filling in for Daniel Dubois on roughly 48 hours’ notice after Dubois fell ill. Parker scored a second-round TKO after delivering a solid shot to Bakole’s equilibrium and Bakole’s corner waived off the referee. Plus, Shakur Stevenson did the same in defending his WBC lightweight title against Josh Padley, who was filling in for a sick Floyd Schofield Jr. Stevenson, despite appearing to suffer a hand injury midway through the fight, managed to stop his durable opponent in the ninth round. Carlos Adames and Vergil Ortiz Jr. also picked up big wins in step-up fights. CBS Sports was with you throughout the entire way on Saturday with the live results and highlights below. Beterbiev: “I don’t want to talk about the decision, I just want to say congrats to Bivol. I think this fight was better than the first fight but now it’s my time to come back.”Bivol: “I’m just so happy. I went through a lot the last year and this is so exciting. I was better, I was pushing myself more. I was more confident, I was lighter. I just wanted to win so much today.”Unofficial scorecard: 115-113 for BivolAnother close fight. Bivol controlled the early rounds and landed the better work late until Beterbiev’s rally in the final round. Great finish from the champion as he constantly pressured Bivol with power shots and opened up a cut on his left eye. They both landed right crosses at the same time in the final minute with Bivol appearing to be rocked after. But he finished his fight on his feet and hit Beterbiev with a big right late.Big round for the challenger! After fading in the championship rounds during their first fight, Bivol stepped up and outworked Beterbiev throughout this frame. Although Beterbiev attempted to pressure, Bivol sat down on his counter combinations to back him up. Swelling has begin under the right eye of Beterbiev and his forehead is filled with abrasions. Powerful right hands from Bivol in closing seconds. Very close round. Beterbiev put the gasoline back in the tank to start and amped up his pressure. Good counter shots from Bivol, particularly to the body. Beterbiev just kept mashing forward with a variety of jabs and hard right hands to the body to edge it. Beterbiev continues to take backwards steps as Bivol gains confidence. Bivol slipped a left hook and countered with a clean three-punch combo early. He has more pep in his step right now despite a slow second half of the round for both. Another slower pace round as Beterbiev still looks to be recovering from the energy he put out in the middle rounds. Not only did Bivol’s defense continuously swallow up Beterbiev’s jabs, he sat down on his counter shots much more and briefly wobbled Beterbiev with a right cross. Bivol was busier and went to the body regularly this round.The pace slowed considerably but the defensive responsibility from both never wavered. Bivol countered with better shots and re-established his jab. Bivol also sealed the deal with a stiff right before the bell. Very interesting round as Beterbiev dominated the first half with continued pressure as he never let Bivol breathe and was all over him with combinations and body shots. Bivol worked back with a pair of stiff right crosses and later rallied to nearly steal the round in the final 30 seconds until a big right hand from Beterbiev wobbled Bivol in the closing seconds.The tide continues to turn as Beterbiev’s pressure really gave Bivol problems. Although Bivol landed a stiff right cross midway through, Beterbiev never let him breathe and cut off the ring with incredible efficiency. A late flurry from Beterbiev had Bivol in the kind of trouble we aren’t used to seeing. Bivol also has a mouse around his left eye. Best round of the fight thus far for the champion. He pressured Bivol nonstop despite showing a red abrasion on the right side of his forehead. Good body work from Beterbiev. Bivol’s high-guard defense protected him early before Beterbiev’s constant forward motion broke through.This looked like a replay of the last round for most of it as Beterbiev applied better physical pressure but Bivol had more output and landed the better shots. Great defense from Bivol until a right hand to the body landed big late for Beterbiev. They traded in the center of the ring during the final 10 seconds. Beterbiev remained the aggressor for most of the round but he was outworked by a backfoot Bivol, who landed the best punch of the fight so far with a crisp counter right hand. Bivol also picked up his body shot defense to stuff a number of left hook attempts. Still a largely tense and technical affair but Bivol is doing the better work as Beterbiev typically starts slower. A close and tense round began with both trading jabs at close range in the center of the ring. Beterbiev largely focused on the body, slinging lead right hands. Bivol won the battle of the jabs, however, and was more offensive with power shots as he twice snuck in looping right hands around Beterbiev’s guard. Only one fight left to go and it’s the main event: A rematch between undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and former titleholder Dmitry Bivol. They fought just four months ago with Beterbiev winning a disputed decision. Parker: “I’m fit, I’m strong, I’m healthy and I’m sharp thanks to [my corner]. The conversation [with trainer Andy Lee] was to be patient and break him down. How about I fight for the world title next? How about I fight for the world title? I would like to be champion of the world again, too.”Tough situation for all considering Bakole took the fight on such short notice and only flew in on Friday. He was also not in shape and 315 pounds. It definitely played a big role in the stoppage, which felt premature in real time but was actually initiated by Bakole’s corner. It was a grazing right hand to the temple. Bakole reached his feet after the knockdown but was wobbly and the fight was called off. Bakole had started to walk Parker down and go after his body. Parker countered with a huge right hand, which Bakole shook his head at and laughed. But a follow-up right dropped and finished Bakole. Round 2: Down goes Bakole on a right hand! It was a delayed reaction.Bakole, who entered at 315 pounds on short notice, largely used the round to follow Parker around but not unleash much. Parker was patient and jabbed to the body consistently. Nice counter shovel uppercut by Bakole in the final 30 seconds but Parker outworked him. The co-main event is up next in a non-title heavyweight tilt as former champion Joseph Parker takes on late replacement Martin Bakole after IBF champion Daniel Dubois pulled out in recent days with an illness. Padley’s corner threw in the towel following the third knockdown of Round 9. He fought with heart despite being a late replacement and major underdog. Stevenson likely injured his left hand but still dominated throughout. Round 9: Padley gets dropped a third time in the round on another body shot. Round 9: Another body-shot knockdown for Stevenson on Padley. Round 9: Stevenson drops Padley with a body shot.It’s clear that Stevenson is favoring his injured left hand although he is still using it in combinations. Decent pressure from Padley but it’s never more than one landed punch at a time. And anytime he does land, Stevenson counters with huge combinations. Stevenson hurt Padley late with a big right hook. This remains a very predictable affair. Better pressure from Padley but Stevenson can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Stevenson grimaced again after landing with his left hand. But he’s fully controlling his far-less experienced foe.Another three minutes of Stevenson largely dominating with body and power shots at close range. However, Stevenson landed a left hand and shook it after, which could mean he hurt himself. Stevenson has a history of hand issues. But this is cruise control for the talented Stevenson who needs a finish to avoid criticism. © 2004-2025 CBS Interactive. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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