Dmitry Bivol lost his undefeated record to Artur Beterbiev in a close fight for the undisputed light heavyweight championship this past weekend.
The 12-round bout saw Bivol start strong, using his famous boxing skills to gain an early advantage. As the fight progressed, Beterbiev's bludgeoning power started to get through, shifting the momentum in his favor.
The judges awarded Beterbiev a majority decision victory, marking his first non-knockout win in 21 professional fights. The close nature of the contest has left many calling for a rematch.
Top trainer Robert Garcia, who works with fighters like Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez and Vergil Ortiz, shared his thoughts on the fight. In an interview with 210BoxingTV, Garcia said he scored the fight 7-5 in favor of Bivol.
"Bivol won the first three rounds and a few more after with his combinations, movement, technique, and beating Beterbiev to the punch. Beterbiev did back Bivol up for a few rounds later in the fight, but overall, I felt Bivol landed the more effective punches. It was close and could have gone either way, though. Beterbiev kept putting pressure, and Bivol was blocking a lot."
Bivol remained humble after suffering his first professional loss. The public's reaction has been a loud call for a rematch, with many feeling the close nature of the fight warrants a second meeting between these two top light heavyweights.
