And the new! Dmitry Bivol is the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world after defeating Artur Beterbiev by a majority decision in a close, competitive fight marked by ebbs and flows in both directions.The official scores were 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113.(The Guardian had it 115-113 for Bivol.)It’s the first professional defeat for Beterbiev, whose eight-year championship reign at 175lb is over.That’s all for tonight.

Thanks as always for following along with us and be sure to check out the full report here.“I dont want to talk about the decision,” says Beterbiev, who is relatively upbeat but curt.“Congrats, Bivol [and] Bivol’s team.”Asked to describe the difference between the two fights, the dethroned champion is to the point: “I don’t know.I think this fight was better than first fight, but now it’s my time to come back.

”And does he want to complete the trilogy with a third fight?“Actually I didn’t want the second fight,” Beterbiev says.“It wasn’t my choice.But no problem.We’re going to do a third fight.”Bivol says losing the first fight alleviated the pressure going into the rematch.

“I lost and it felt a little bit easier maybe,” he says in English.“I didn’t [feel] pressure too much this time, like before the last fight, and I just wanted to work from the first round till the end of the 12th and hoped I’d do enough to win.”He’s asked what the difference was between tonight’s fight and the first one.“Just me,” he says.“I was better.

I was pushing myself more.I was more confident.I was lighter.I just wanted to win so much today.”He continues: “I just told myself that he could start from the beginning to distract me, to disturb me.

It was hard, to be honest, to keep him at distance for the first four rounds.And then I saw that he’s tired also.I’m tired, but he’s tired also, and I have to be smarter.I have to punch more clean punches and I did.”And then, of course, the obvious question.

Are we running it back for a threequel?“I’m ready for any challenge [in the] future,” Bivol says.“But I want a little bit rest, because I had some injuries and I was using anti-inflammation [medication] almost the whole camp.I want a little bit of time to heal myself and come back.”And the new! Dmitry Bivol is the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world after defeating Artur Beterbiev by a majority decision in a close, competitive fight marked by ebbs and flows in both directions.The official scores were 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113.

(The Guardian had it 115-113 for Bivol.)It’s the first professional defeat for Beterbiev, whose eight-year championship reign at 175lb is over.Round 12Bivol looks to close the show in style, avoiding Beterbiev’s increasingly desperate forays while peppering his opponent with shots in retreat.But Beterbiev lands a couple big shots upstairs in the second half of the frame, turning Bivol’s left eye into a bloody mess.Two-way action until the final bell.

Gripping stuff.That is a Beterbiev round and the fighters embrace when it’s finished.Now we’ll wait for the official cards.Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 10-9 Bivol (Beterbiev 113-115 Bivol)Round 11Bivol has found a reserve and appears the fitter man.He’s busier and using combination punching to neutralize Beterbiev’s attack, complemented by constant, unpredictable lateral movement.

Beterbiev is desperately trying to barrel his way inside and land something big, but he’s been reduced to one punch at a time and Bivol is slipping nearly everything.Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 9-10 Bivol (Beterbiev 103-106 Bivol)Round 10Beterbiev is slowing down markedly and Bivol is capitalizing.He’s throwing and landing more, a variety of shots to the head and body with both hands.This is an easy round for Bivol as Beterbiev has been reduced to single punches.The round ends with Bivol in pursuit of Beterbiev, for a change, with the champion in full retreat.

A very close fight entering the championship rounds,Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 9-10 Bivol (Beterbiev 94-96 Bivol)Round 9Beterbiev has landed the heavier and more significant blows from the start, but Bivol’s hand speed and volume is presumably keeping him in this fight on the cards,The champion continues to stalk, stalk, stalk,At one point Bivol pirouettes out of harm’s way and lands a four-punch combination that wows the animated crowd,Now it’s Beterbiev who looks tired.

The ebbs and flows have not stopped from the opening bell.What a fight.Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 9-10 Bivol (Beterbiev 85-86 Bivol)Round 8Bivol will need to rely on speed and class to see him through this challenge and he’s showing it early in the eighth.He’s back to moving like he did in the early rounds, using deft footwork and upper-body movement in between jabs to the body and head.Beterbiev is blocking a lot of them with his arms, but it’s the type of attention-catching workrate that has a way of swaying the judges.

Both men have seen their faces marked up; Bivol’s left eye appears swollen.Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 9-10 Bivol (Beterbiev 76-76 Bivol)Round 7Bivol’s corner were working on his legs between round.Not a great sign.The challenger is trying to get into a rhythm with his jab again, but it lacks the authority of the early rounds thanks to the cumulative effect of Beterbiev’s suffocating pressure.More of the same from Beterbiev, who continues to close distance and throw heavy shots to the boddy.

Bivol does his best work at the end of the round, catching the champion with a couple of shots upstairs as he looks to barrel inside.Very close round.Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 10-9 Bivol (Beterbiev 67-66 Bivol)Round 6Bivol can’t hurt Beterbiev, who is giving the challenger no quarter.The crowding pressure is non-stop from the champion and each landed punch looks like it hurts.Bivol sits down on this punches and lands a crisp combination to Beterbiev’s head in the center of the ring.

A great response.But Beterbiev traps him in a neutral corner near the end of the frame and connects with a couple of crunching body blows.A third straight frame for Beterbiev on our card and we’re level at the midpoint of the scheduled 12 rounds.Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 10-9 Bivol (Beterbiev 57-57 Bivol)Round 5Beterbiev’s pressure and body work is starting to yield dividends.He’s walking down Bivol, who is burning a lot of energy trying to target the head and body with jabs while keeping out of the way of the champion’s overhand rights.

This is another clear Beterbiev round.Then in the final 30 seconds Beterviev lands a right hand through Bivol’s guard that might have hurt Bivol.Bivol is staggered momentarily but regains his footing and makes it to the bell.Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 10-9 Bivol (Beterbiev 47-48 Bivol)Round 4Beterbiev is relentless in attack.He’s not stopped moving forward from the opening bell and the pressure is constant.

He’s beginning to find Bivol’s midsection with right hands.Bivol is fighting well off the back foot, peppering away with the jab to the head and body, but appears to be slowing down from the first round and a touch flat-footed.Beterbiev hasn’t landed anything that’s hurt Bivol yet, but the pressure in that fourth round was so heightened as to neutralize the challenger’s offense almost completely.Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 10-9 Bivol (Beterbiev 37-39 Bivol)Round 3Beterbiev picks up the pace from the bell, perhaps encouraged by his corner.He’s targeting Bivol’s body and landing the odd shot.

Another three-punch combo from Bivol, who looks very locked in and confident.He’s moving all over the place, changing direction, refusing to offer a stationary target while Beterbiev stalks away.Bivol narrowly ducks under a lunging right hook.Bivol lands a couple of shots right through Beterbiev’s guard.Then in the closing seconds Beterbiev moves Bivol backwards with a couple of crunching blows, only for Bivol to clip the champion with a right hook just before the bell.

This is high-tempo stuff between two top operators.Will Bivol be able to sustain this pace?Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 9-10 Bivol (Beterbiev 27-30 Bivol)Round 2Bivol is doing fine work with that jab and it’s already paying off.Sticking and moving, sticking and moving.There’s already a little mouse under Beterbiev’s eye.Bivol turns southpaw, changes direction and lands a combination upstairs punctuated by a beautiful counter right hand that lands flush.

He’s throwing and langing more while Beterbiev continues to try and cut off the ring.Beterbiev lands a thudding jab.Easier round to score for Bivol.Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 9-10 Bivol (Beterbiev 18-20 Bivol)Round 1There’s the bell and the fighters meet each other at the center of the ring.Lots of pawing and feints from both men in the early stages.

Bivol is trying to establish that ramrod jab, while Beterbiev looks to close the distance with measured bursts into the pocket.Bivol throws the first combination and lands a few shots but Beterbiev is unbothered.Beterbiev looks to cut off the ring and trap Bivol along the ropes, but the challenger does not accommodate.A cagey first round that could have gone either way, but Bivol’s combination punching nicks it for us.Guardian’s unofficial score: Beterbiev 9-10 Bivol (Beterbiev 9-10 Bivol)The fighters have been announced by ring announcer Michael Buffer.

The final instructions have been given by the British referee Kevin Parker, the seconds are out and we’ll pick it up with round-by-round coverage from here!The fighters are making their ringwalks for the main event,First it’s Dmitry Bivol, who canters down the runway wearing a silver robe with black trim to группа крови by the Russian rock band Kino,Now it’s Artur Beterbiev’s turn,The unbeaten champion is in an equal hurry to reach the squared circle, wearing a black T-shirt and matching shorts as Вперед Ахмат by Dagestani singer Rizavdi Ismailov plays,Here’s a look at how Beterbiev and Bivol measure up ahead of tonight’s main event.

Physically, there’s not much to separate these former Russian amateur teammates: Beterbiev has the slightest of advantages in reach while Bivol has an even scanter edge in height.Bivol came in slightly below the light heavyweight division limit of 175lb at yesterday’s weigh-in, while Beterbiev, who turned 40 last month, hit it on the nose.“When I came back to the corner, [trainer Andy Lee] gave me the instructions just to be patient,” Parker says.“And when the overhead right comes, when he walks in and attacks, that’s when you have to take your shot.And that’s the best way, is to catch them when they’re coming in.

”He adds: “Martin Bakole, thank you very much for accepting the challenge and flying all the way here on short notice to give me a good fight.I just went out there and listened to Andy [Lee], stay calm, structured, composed, and got the victory.”Parker doesn’t wait long before moving to his future plans.“I just want to say like, who’s next?” he says.“How do I fight for the world title next? How can I fight for the world title? Listen, if Usyk wants a dance partner, I’ll get Uncle Frank to come in here and lock a fight with Usyk