Artur Beterbiev has become the undisputed light-heavyweight champion. He won a majority decision victory over Dmitry Bivol to unify all four championship belts in the division.
Bob Arum, the legendary boxing promoter, couldn't contain his excitement. He took to social media to praise Beterbiev's achievement.
"Congratulations to the new undisputed light heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev, on a well-deserved victory. He is truly one of the greatest fighters of this era."
Arum's words carry weight. The 92-year-old has been in the boxing game for nearly 60 years. He started out in 1966, promoting Muhammad Ali. Since then, he's worked with some of the biggest names in the sport, including Mike Tyson, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, and Manny Pacquiao. The International Boxing Hall of Fame recognized his contributions in 1999. Today, he's still at the helm of Top Rank, a major boxing promotional company.
The fight itself was a tight contest. Beterbiev and Bivol battled it out for 12 rounds in a tactically fought match. In the end, Beterbiev's hand was raised. He added Bivol's WBA belt to his own WBC, WBO, and IBF straps, completing his collection.
This victory puts Beterbiev in the conversation for the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He'll be up there with names like Terence Crawford, Oleksandr Usyk, Naoya Inoue, and Canelo Alvarez. It's a hot topic in boxing circles, and Beterbiev's latest win will only fuel the debate.
Looking ahead, Beterbiev seems ready to take on all comers. He's even willing to give Bivol an immediate rematch. It's clear he wants to leave no doubt about his status as the top dog in the light-heavyweight division.
