Dmitry Bivol launches formal action to force Artur Beterbiev rematch
Dmitry Bivol’s team have formally submitted a request for an immediate rematch against Artur Beterbiev after his highly controversial world title defeat.
Bivol and Beterbiev met in Saudi Arabia in a historic undisputed title showdown to crown the light heavyweight division’s first sole champion since Roy Jones Jr 25 years ago.
Beterbiev, already WBC, WBO and IBF champion, added the WBA belt to his collection after securing a majority decision win on the judges scorecards in Riyadh.
That decision has been widely criticised, with Bivol’s promoter Eddie Hearn labelling it ‘sickening’. Polish judge Pawel Kardyni had scored the bout 116-112, giving Beterbiev eight of the 12 rounds, with Hearn insisting he ‘should never work in the sport again’.
Bivol’s team have now officially launched their appeal with the four governing bodies seeking an immediate rematch between the two Russians, boxing reporter Jake Donovan reports.
Their appeal will attempt to draw comparisons to the 1999 heavyweight title fight between Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis, a fight that was ruled a draw. The result that night was booed heavily by the crowd with Lewis widely considered to have been the clear winner. A rematch was immediately ordered, taking place eight months later in Las Vegas.
Bivol’s team will also argue the majority of viewers on Saturday night had him winning the fight.
Bivol’s manager Vadim Kornilov has also confirmed they are still seeking a response to their request to review judge Kardyni’s contentious 116-112 scorecard.
‘I don’t want to disrespect Beterbiev, because they’re both incredible fighters, but I find it sickening that, after a lifetime of hard work, Bivol is not undisputed champion tonight,’ Hearn said on Saturday.
‘I struggle to find anybody in our row; a row behind, the TV row, who didn’t score the fight to Bivol.
‘To find a judge give that fight 116-112, and give Dmitry Bivol four rounds in that fight; this judge should never work in the sport again.
‘Everything you’ll get out of Dmitry is: ‘I can do better; it’s boxing. I take the judges’ scorecard’, but I don’t buy it because you don’t deserve that after that performance. It was an absolute boxing masterclass. It was the perfect performance.
‘He can be better, but that was a pure show of concentration, skill and defence, with offence thrown in. Bivol is arguably pound-for-pound No. 1 in the sport. He deserves tonight to sit here as the undisputed light-heavyweight champion of the world.’
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