Dmitry Bivol beats Artur Beterbiev in riveting Riyadh rematch
Plus, Parker smashes late sub Bakole and Shakur fails to shine
After 12 rounds of back-and-forth action in Riyadh, it turns out that calling the Beterbiev-Bivol rematch the ‘Last Crescendo’ was a mistake.
Next, an even higher pitch will be required after Dmitry Bivol tamed the beast, Artur Beterbiev, earning the judges’ favour by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and a 114-114 drawn card, securing the majority decision in Bivol’s direction.
Beterbiev raced out of the traps quicker than in their first meeting, leaning on the reconstructed knee to slice in right hands to the body. Bivol landed some sharper left hands in the second round using his speed and accuracy.
Round three heated up at the close as Beterbiev planted his feet, making the sprightly Bivol stand and fight. Beterbiev was fighting like a man who had a point to prove.
Beterbiev stood off in the fifth, perhaps feeling the pace a little himself, offering Bivol a few opportunities to grab the counter punches.
By the seventh round, it seemed like Beterbiev had set a pace he couldn’t keep up with. The momentum had truly shifted in Bivol’s favour by the time the championship rounds arrived. Beterbiev’s corner was panicking, screaming for him to curb Dmitry’s newfound habit of winning rounds. Ultimately, the excellent Bivol got a deserved decision.
“To be honest I lost [the first fight] and I feel a little easier maybe, I didn’t pressure too much like before in the last fight,” said Bivol.
“I was better, pushing myself more, more confident, lighter. I just wanted to win so much today. He tried from the beginning to destruct me, to disturb me, then I saw that I’m tired and he’s tired also.”
Beterbiev credited the winner and they embraced, although he refused a final handshake, insisting the next time they meet, the niceties will be over and business resumed. While he may not instantly crumble like his troubled compatriot Sergey Kovalev, how much Beterbiev has left by that point remains to be seen.
Joseph Parker smashes away bulky Bakole and Kabayel wears down Zhang
If getting in on the plane at 4am was a tough ask for Martin Bakole, the Congolese giant didn’t show it as he grinned and joked his way through the pre-fight interviews. Joseph Parker was expected to fight Daniel Dubois before Dubois got sick and Bakole was drafted across the oceans to take his place.
Carrying a muffin top gut, Bakole borrowed Dubois’ gloves and it looked like he’d borrowed the trunks of a significantly smaller man as well. Suddenly, the aeroplane meals were about to catch up on the big man, and the late start would swiftly become an early finish.
Following a tentative opening round, Parker clobbered Bakole with a skimming overhand right on top of the head at 2-17 of round two that left referee Steve Gray and Billy Nelson in universal agreement that the end had arrived.
In the other heavyweight cash, Agit Kabayel took one round to suss out big Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang and a further five to push him back and tag the body repeatedly.
Zhang dropped Kabayel, but it was a mere respite as Kabayel put his foot back down and forced the heavier veteran to take a knee. Counted out by referee Mark Lyson, it’s hard to see where the 'Big Bang' goes from here. Kabayel, meanwhile, must surely be on the verge of an overdue world title shot.
Vergil Ortiz Jr outpoints Israil Madrimov and Adames retains after shaky Sheeraz draw
Vergil Ortiz Jr said in the build-up to a sizzling super-welterweight side course that he fully expected to beat Israil Madrimov. So it proved, as Ortiz Jr’s patience and composure allowed him to avoid a fight and win by unanimous decision. “I’ve never ducked anybody, no matter what anyone says,” blasted Ortiz Jr.
The judges all went in his favour, with scores of 117-111 and 115-113 (twice). Ortiz ended with a cut to the left cheek and some heavy blemishes around the eyes.
Madrimov’s amateurish style, consisting of dip and punch blasts, garnered a little early success, but it was late on that the Uzbek had his best moments when caution hit the wind, and he let the combinations fly, including that trademark chopping Soviet Bloc hook.
Hamzah Sheeraz’s coming out party didn’t quite go to plan as Carlos Adames walked away with his WBC middleweight title intact following a split draw verdict.
One judge had it 115-113 in favour of Sheeraz, overruled by a 118-110 to Adames and 114-114 to confirm the draw. Adames was really struggling to find any initial openings as Sheeraz did a good job of shelling up, landing the jab and body shots without shipping much in return.
With the fight slipping away, the champion upped the tempo in rounds five and six as the gap closed. From that point on, it seemed like Adames’ aggression and trickery earned him the win. It wasn’t to be, but he walked away with his belt nonetheless.
Shakur pounds brave Josh Padley and Callum Smith outworks Buatsi in a cracker
Shakur Stevenson failed to capture the moment when faced with a late-notice opponent in the form of part-time fighter Josh Padley. Southpaw Shakur defended his WBC lightweight title with a ninth-round stoppage.
The Yorkshireman did himself proud, firing off punches as Stevenson stepped off and coasted as he tends to do. Dropped three times in what proved to be the final round, Padley’s corner team threw in the towel as their man bravely rose after banging the canvas in annoyance for the final time.
Callum Smith and Joshua Buatsi engaged in a quality domestic scrap that ended with Smith getting his hand raised after 12 rounds of blood and thunder.
Buatsi showed immense heart and grit but was hurt multiple times throughout the contest and neglected his powerful jab for too long. There has always been something missing with Buatsi and the jigsaw puzzle was once again left incomplete. Smith’s power shone through as he picked up an Interim strap, reinvigorating his career in the process.
Ziyad Almaayouf opened the card with a routine points win over Jonatas de Oliveira and Mohammed Alakel defeated Engel Gomez. Both were over six rounds.
Image Credits: BBC Sport, Flashscore.
About Steve…
Current existence: Online editor at Boxing News Magazine.
Previous lives: Author (8 books), podcaster (500+ eps), scriptwriter for Motivedia channel, newspaper journalist, copywriter & educator.
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Exciting as always