Bivol did survive Beterbiev, yes, bottling the Russian-Canadian’s brutality like no man before him, while complementing that defensive genius with risky offence – often and intelligently; yet the judges favoured Beterbiev’s forward pressure and strong end to an uncomfortably tense contest.
It is the moment he describes the week after his loss to Beterbiev – a controversial result in October, which marked Bivol’s first defeat as a professional and crowned Beterbiev the undisputed light-heavyweight champion.
For a man who had never lost before October (his standout win saw him dismantle Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 2022), and who beat Beterbiev in the eyes of many fans and pundits, Bivol has a startlingly calm perspective on defeat and redemption.
What I was most p***ed off about was: everybody on my side and a lot of people up close thought Bivol won the fight, yet not one judge scored it for Bivol.
Either Bivol would win a decision, or Beterbiev would catch him before the final bell, rendering any of the younger man’s success worthless.
