*** Controversy?!?!? Watch Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev full fight video highlights right here! ***
As I mentioned in my article about the Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev start time later this afternoon (Sat., Oct. 12, 2024) from inside Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this is a big one.
Indeed, easily one of the grandest fights in the history of the Light Heavyweight division and a glorious boxing trend we’re seeing in that the big-time fighters are getting it all in. Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk? Bananas. Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence? Fantastic. Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev?
Heck yea, keep the hits coming …
This late afternoon (for most of you reading this site), streaming live on DAZN, we’ve got all of the four undisputed Light Heavyweight titles on the line when WBA champion (Bivol) takes on IBF, WBC and WBO roost-ruler (Beterbiev). Oh, and did I neglect to mention that they’re both undefeated, and Beterbiev has a perfect 20 knockouts in 20 fights?
Oh, yeah, this is a bout for the ages.
The card will stream LIVE on DAZN (simulcast on the ESPN+ digital network) with the main event starting roughly at 6 p.m. ET (full details here).
The undercard on this special has plenty of cool fights to watch if you want to tune in earlier, too. Let’s focus on undefeated Cruiserweight, Jai Opetaia, for the moment. The holder of the IBF and Rings Cruiserweight strap, the 29-year-old Aussie is a massive favorite against Brit Jack Massey. Massey isn’t exactly a slouch, holder of the European and Commonwealth Cruiserweight titles, as well as the former IBO champ. It speaks volumes to Jai’s ability and future star power that he’s such a runaway on the lines against a legitimate veteran.
We are only hours away ?? from this incredible matchup??#BeterbievBivol | #RiyadhSeason | Oct 12, live on DAZN | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/yt3OrErSzf
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 11, 2024
BIVOL VS. BETERBIEV QUICK RESULTS:
175 lbs.: Artur Beterbiev def. Dmitry Bivol — Majority decision (114-114, 115-113, 116-112) — HIGHLIGHTS!
225+ lbs.: Fabio Wardley def. Frazer Clarke — TKO (Rd. 1, 2:28) — HIGHLIGHTS!
200 lbs.: Jai Opetaia def. Jack Massey — TKO corner stoppage (Rd. 6, 2:00)
160 lbs.: Chris Eubank Jr. def. Kamil Szeremeta — TKO (Rd. 7, 1:50) — HIGHLIGHTS!
126 lbs.: Skye Nicolson def. Raven Chapman — Unanimous decision (99-91, 98-92×2)
BIVOL VS. BETERBIEV LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY:
Dmitry Bivol (c) vs. Artur Beterbiev (c) for the IBF, WBC, WBO and WBA light heavyweight titles
Round 1: Beterbiev in black, Bivol in blue. We should find out real quick if Beterbiev’s knee is fully healed from that May injury. Bivol starts with a jab, Beterbiev stalking forward. Bivol to the gut. Beterbiev with a jab downstairs. Bivol hits a 1-2. A jab. Hook, too. They jab each other. Now 1-2’s from both men. Nice heat to end the round.
10-9 Bivol
Round 2: Bivol with a triple jab, not nothing hit. Patient round so far here from both men. Bivol is throwing a bit more, especially the jab, and it’s winning him the round, but it isn’t like he’s running away with the round. A big Beterbiev action and he could take this. 1-2 from Bivol. Beterbiev lands a jab as the bell rings.
10-9 Bivol
Round 3: Beterbiev trying to get some offense going here, but doesn’t seem to be landing anything yet. Nice counter 1-2 by Bivol. A follow-up right as well. Beterbiev double jab. Beterbiev lands a couple looping rights. Beterbiev gets in a right, Bivol flurries a little later. Bivol dancing out of the way of a big right.
10-9 Bivol, close round, thought
Round 4: Beterbiev pistons home a jab. Lovely 3-2 combo by Bivol. Right by Beterbiev. Bivol jabs to the body. Another one down and then up. Right around the guard by Beterbiev. Counter right, too. Left lands for Bivol. Beterbiev gets in a light combo at the bell.
10-9 Beterbiev
Round 5: Bivol with 3 hooks: head, body, head. Beterbiev with a hook that slaps on the arms. Snapping jab by Bivol. Beterbiev with a ripping shot to the body. Nice 2-3 by Bivol.
10-9 Bivol
Round 6: Beterbiev rattles Bivol a bit with a heavy right hand. Don’t think it landed on the head, but it still moved the body. Bivol with a pair of jabs and a right hand. Beterbiev with a right of his own. Beterbiev still chasing down Bivol, whose conditioning has held up well through the first half. Good left hook by Bivol. Beterbiev lands on the gloves, but it still makes Bivol step back.
10-9 Bivol
Round 7: Nice right hand by Bivol, but it hasn’t really seemed to faze Beterbiev yet. Another combo by Bivol. He lands a jab, too. Bivol opening up with a pair of combos. Beterbiev looks like he might be slowing down. Bivol with two jabs. Bivol catches Beterbiev coming in with a combo. That left seemed to wobble him. Bivol comes in, but Beterbiev bites down on his mouthpiece and fires back. He backs Bivol off and now he’s on the aggressive tack. Not sure anything landed clean for Beterbiev after that first couple, but he was on the front foot the last minute.
10-9 Bivol
Round 8: Identical jabs from both men. Bivol to the guts. Beterbiev going back and forth, allowing Bivol to stay in the center of the ring. Bivol clips the left side of Beterbiev’s head. Beterbiev responds in kind a few seconds later. Beterbiev 1-2. Beterbiev gets in an uppercut, but eats a hook. Bivol slugging out at the end of the round.
10-9 Bivol
Round 9: Bivol backs Beterbiev up now and tries to combo on the Russian. Got in one to the stomach. Beterbiev coming forward now, eats another body shot. Bivol downstairs-upstairs. Beterbiev hasn’t been able to get off those thumping combos he’s famous for. 1-1-2 from Beterbiev. Bivol comes back with a flashing combo. 1-2 Beterbiev at the bell.
10-9 Bivol, but so many of these rounds are super close.
Round 10: Artur being more aggressive now — I think his corner told him he’s losing too many rounds. Beterbiev swings a right, looks like that clipped him. Bivol sits down on a series of hooks. Good work by Bivol. Beterbiev goes body and head. Beterbiev lands a left. A right, too, at the bell.
10-9 Bivol.
Round 11: Beterbiev moving forward and gets in a right. Bivol digs a right to the torso. Beterbiev shelling up a bit in the center, lets Bivol get in a combo. Now Beterbiev coming forward, lands a couple rights. He’s pressuring Bivol hard. Jab by Bivol. Beterbiev finally getting in some nice combos. He’s turned up the volume as best he can. Bivol jabs back.
10-9 Beterbiev
Round 12: Beterbiev really trying to pour it on here. Bivol pops off a couple to try and stem the tide. Bivol planting his feet every so often to flurry Beterbiev off him. It’s working so far, but both men are trying hard now. Beterbiev to the ribs. Beterbiev just misses on a right hand. Doesn’t miss with the right to the body. Counter right by Bivol. Beterbiev with a short right of his own. Bivol tying up Beterbiev whenever he gets close. Two lefts by Beterbiev. They brawl it out at the end.
10-9 Beterbiev
Final result: Artur Beterbiev def. Dmitry Bivol — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Fabio Wardley vs. Frazer Clarke
Round 1: Wardley in tan, Clarke in black. They’re going slowly to start. Thudding overhand right by Wardley and his legs are wobbly. He seems to recover and lands an uppercut to try and back Wardley off. Wardley blasts in a HUGE right hand and down goes Clarke. Oh hell, no, he’s out of it, stop counting ref. Yea, that’s all she wrote.
Final result: Fabio Wardley def. Frazer Clarke — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
— Neo Vale Tudo (@NeoValeTudo) October 12, 2024
Frazer Clarke with a dent in the side of his head after that stunning first-round KO from Fabio Wardley… pic.twitter.com/pNWSxWrcbA
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) October 12, 2024
Jai Opetaia vs. Jack Massey for the IBF cruiserweight title
Round 1: Opetaia in tan and blue, Massey in red and black. Opetaia starts with a left to the body. One upstairs, but that one’s partially blocked. Opetaia moving forward aggressively here, putting Massey with his back towards the ropes and the corners. Right upstairs. There’s a right by Massey, but I don’t think it landed clean. Opetaia finding shots with both hands. “One Smack” Jack to the body. A right, too. Opetaia responds to the body.
10-9 Opetaia
Round 2: Opetaia with a counter right and a nice left to the body a couple seconds later. Opetaia feints in and then throws a good left. Two lefts to the gut. One upstairs. Massey clinches to escape the corner. Jai lands a nice short left. Massey has done nothing to earn Opetaia’s respect.
10-9 Opetaia
Round 3: Massey finally lands a nice left as Opetaia missed. Easily the best shot for him so far. Opetaia happy to hand his left, a lot to the body and occasional ones upstairs, too. Opetaia lands downstairs, leaves himself open for a counter right. Opetaia misses, evades a counter, lands a re-counter of his own. Massey stuck on the ropes and getting peppered.
10-9 Opetaia
Round 4: Right by Massey. Opetaia still putting work into the breadbasket. They get head to head, Opetaia to the belly, Massey with a right up top. Massey lands another right. Left from Massey, Opetaia pops in a right. Lovely counter to the gut by the champ, followed by a right hand a short bit later. Rights by both men.
10-9 Opetaia
Round 5: Opetaia backs Massey up to the corner and gets in a right hand. Left lands now. Massey fires off a combo, I think the left hand got in somewhat. Opetaia hits a right of his own. Opetaia right-left. Jab. Massey is bleeding from a number of cuts. Solid right hand by Opetaia stuns Massey. Opetaia with a hook around the guard.
10-9 Opetaia
Round 6: Jack Massey’s corner might want to think about stopping this if he can’t get something going. Here’s a bit of aggression from the Brit, as he comes forward to center ring and blasts a combo. Right by Opetaia to the top of the head. Massey fires back with a two-piece. Opetaia walking through what Massey is throwing, even landing. Opetaia left-right. He’s overpowering the former heavyweight. Chunking right hand lands and the corner throws in the towel. Massey looks unhappy, but he was getting mollywhopped.
Final result: Jai Opetaia defeats Jack Massey
JAI OPETAIA FINISH THE FIGHT ROUND 6 / THROW IN THE TOWEL #Jaiopetaia #BeterbievBivol pic.twitter.com/LjqI6ToEg7
— Westfighting (@West_fighting) October 12, 2024
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