# Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol II
**Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol II** was a professional boxing rematch for the undisputed light heavyweight championship, held on February 22, 2025 at [Kingdom Arena](https://www.edgepedia.org/kingdom-arena) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the [Riyadh Season](https://www.edgepedia.org/riyadh-season) card billed as "The Last Crescendo"[1](https://www.worldboxingnews.com/live-beterbiev-vs-bivol-results-scorecards/). [Dmitry Bivol](https://www.edgepedia.org/dmitry-bivol) won a 12-round majority decision over Artur Beterbiev, avenging his October 2024 loss, becoming undisputed light heavyweight champion, and handing Beterbiev the first defeat of his professional career[1](https://www.worldboxingnews.com/live-beterbiev-vs-bivol-results-scorecards/) • [2](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/beterbiev-bivol-result-score-rematch-b2702971.html).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | February 22, 2025, Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; event billed "The Last Crescendo"[1](https://www.worldboxingnews.com/live-beterbiev-vs-bivol-results-scorecards/) |
| Result | Bivol won a 12-round majority decision: 114-114, 116-112, 115-113 for Bivol[1](https://www.worldboxingnews.com/live-beterbiev-vs-bivol-results-scorecards/) |
| Stakes | All four major light heavyweight titles (WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO) on the line in both fights[3](https://as.com/masdeporte/dmitry-bivol-en-cifras-peleas-record-kos-y-estadisticas-del-aspirante-al-titulo-del-peso-semipesado-n/) |
| First fight | October 12, 2024, Riyadh: Beterbiev won a majority decision, 116-112, 115-113, 114-114[4](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/10/12/24268779/artur-beterbiev-vs-dmitry-bivol-official-scorecard-boxing) |
| Records after the rematch | Bivol 24-1 (12 KOs); Beterbiev 21-1 (20 KOs), his first professional loss[5](https://www.ringmagazine.com/news/iba-says-bivol-declined-lucrative-offers-twice-for-beterbiev-trilogy-74ZuGPwqOdiotUCpn0FCSp) |
| Rematch punch accuracy | Bivol landed power punches at 40.1% to Beterbiev's 28.7%[6](https://boxing-data.com/blog/artur-beterbiev-vs-dmitry-bivol-review/) |
| Aftermath | Bivol vacated the WBC title in April 2025 after six weeks as undisputed champion; David Benavidez became WBC champion[7](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/articles/cj3xn28880yo) |
## The first fight, October 2024
The two men met for the first time on October 12, 2024 in Riyadh, in a bout to determine the undisputed light heavyweight champion. Beterbiev entered holding the WBC, IBF, and WBO belts, while Bivol held the WBA title[8](https://www.wbaboxing.com/boxing-news/beterbiev-vs-bivol-the-rematch-of-the-year). Beterbiev won on two of the three judges' scorecards, 116-112 and 115-113, with the third scoring the fight a 114-114 draw[4](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/10/12/24268779/artur-beterbiev-vs-dmitry-bivol-official-scorecard-boxing). It was a majority decision, and with the win Beterbiev held titles from all four major sanctioning organizations[4](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/10/12/24268779/artur-beterbiev-vs-dmitry-bivol-official-scorecard-boxing).
The fight carried two career firsts. Bivol became the first boxer to avoid a knockout by Beterbiev, who had won his first 21 professional fights by stoppage, and it was the first time Beterbiev had gone the distance in his professional career[9](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/bivol-beterbiev-2-preview-rematch-b2700244.html) • [10](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/beterbiev-vs-bivol-2-horario-tv-como-y-donde-ver-el-combate-por-el-indiscutido-del-peso-semipesado-n/). The decision was widely disputed. Bivol's team filed an official protest of the result with all four sanctioning bodies and requested a rematch; his career-long manager, Vadim Kornilov, called the result "among the most controversial in history, with a highly disputed draw" on one card[11](https://thankful-crystal-c5f59294d4.media.strapiapp.com/FINAL_RING_12_DEC_24_C1_C4_single_1_compressed_1_571e677000.pdf). Promoter [Eddie Hearn](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-hearn) was harsher, saying of one judge that "he shouldn't work again"[9](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/bivol-beterbiev-2-preview-rematch-b2700244.html).
## What the first fight's numbers showed
**CompuBox statistics** framed how narrow the first fight was. Bivol outlanded Beterbiev in five of the 12 rounds, Beterbiev outlanded Bivol in six, and one round was even; in three of Beterbiev's five winning rounds on that measure, the margin was a single punch[9](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/bivol-beterbiev-2-preview-rematch-b2700244.html). Accuracy told a different story: Bivol was the sharper puncher in 11 of the 12 rounds, connecting on 50% of his power punches to Beterbiev's 29%[9](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/bivol-beterbiev-2-preview-rematch-b2700244.html) • [12](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/bivol-presenta-una-protesta-oficial-por-la-derrota-con-beterbiev-n/).
The fight's shape was a Bivol first half and a Beterbiev finish. Bivol outlanded Beterbiev 33-23 in power punches over the first six rounds; Beterbiev reversed it 67-51 over the final six, and landed 29 power punches to Bivol's 19 in the last two rounds alone[9](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/bivol-beterbiev-2-preview-rematch-b2700244.html). All three judges gave the final two rounds to Beterbiev. Had Bivol won both, he would have won the bout by the identical scores Beterbiev received in reality: 116-112, 115-113, and 114-114[9](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/bivol-beterbiev-2-preview-rematch-b2700244.html).
## The rematch
The rematch was arranged only four months after the first meeting, again in Riyadh, with all four belts at stake[8](https://www.wbaboxing.com/boxing-news/beterbiev-vs-bivol-the-rematch-of-the-year). Beterbiev, who had turned 40 between the fights, came in at 21-0 with 20 knockouts; Bivol, 34, was 23-1, his only loss the October decision[9](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/bivol-beterbiev-2-preview-rematch-b2700244.html). Bivol said repeatedly before the fight that he must "add more", while acknowledging that against a puncher of Beterbiev's force, adding more meant taking potentially disastrous risks[9](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/bivol-beterbiev-2-preview-rematch-b2700244.html).
Bivol won by majority decision, on scorecards of 114-114, 116-112, and 115-113, the same set of numbers that had decided the first fight in Beterbiev's favor[1](https://www.worldboxingnews.com/live-beterbiev-vs-bivol-results-scorecards/). He became the first boxer to beat Beterbiev and won the undisputed championship for the first time[2](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/beterbiev-bivol-result-score-rematch-b2702971.html) • [21](https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12040/13314800/dmitry-bivol-takes-brilliant-revenge-win-over-artur-beterbiev-in-undisputed-world-championship-fight). Reporting on the fight described Beterbiev as having perhaps peaked too soon, with Bivol the better boxer down the stretch, and Bivol's jab as the weapon that neutralized Beterbiev's power[2](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/beterbiev-bivol-result-score-rematch-b2702971.html) • [6](https://boxing-data.com/blog/artur-beterbiev-vs-dmitry-bivol-review/). The rematch was later named a Fight of the Year[13](https://meded.ucsf.edu/sites/rnajc.ucsf.edu/files/dmitry-bivol1.pdf).
The statistical profile of the rematch mirrored the first fight's accuracy gap. Bivol landed power punches at 40.1% to Beterbiev's 28.7%[6](https://boxing-data.com/blog/artur-beterbiev-vs-dmitry-bivol-review/). Beterbiev remained a front-foot pressure fighter; as one pre-fight analysis noted, he was still boxing almost solely on the front foot, while Bivol's movement and long-range punching had frustrated him in both meetings[14](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/beterbiev-bivol-scorecards-judges-result-b2703064.html) • [15](https://wbcboxing.com/en/wbc-special-preview-beterbiev-vs-bivol/).
## Aftermath: the vacated title and the trilogy question
Bivol's reign as undisputed champion lasted six weeks. In April 2025 he relinquished the WBC light heavyweight title rather than face mandatory challenger [David Benavidez](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-benavidez), saying he wanted to pursue a third fight with Beterbiev; Benavidez subsequently became WBC champion[7](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/articles/cj3xn28880yo) • [5](https://www.ringmagazine.com/news/iba-says-bivol-declined-lucrative-offers-twice-for-beterbiev-trilogy-74ZuGPwqOdiotUCpn0FCSp). Beterbiev, for his part, held the WBO light heavyweight title from June 18, 2022 until the February 22, 2025 defeat[16](https://wboboxing.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Interim-Light-Heavyweight-Champion-Callum-Smith.pdf).
**The trilogy stalled.** Turki Al-Sheikh, the Saudi organizer of the Riyadh Season cards, said immediately after the rematch that a third fight would follow if Beterbiev accepted[17](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/turki-confirma-la-trilogia-beterbiev-vs-bivol-si-artur-acepta-tendremos-la-tercera-n/). Beterbiev, 41 after the rematch, stated that his preference for his next fight was Bivol rather than Benavidez[18](https://www.ringmagazine.com/news/beterbiev-prefers-rubber-match-with-bivol-over-benavidez-kaXZANgiMV0ZuS5X9C0tD). But the IBA later said that despite offering Bivol considerably more money than the first two fights, he declined a Beterbiev trilogy twice, and Beterbiev publicly said his rival had rejected the fight outright[5](https://www.ringmagazine.com/news/iba-says-bivol-declined-lucrative-offers-twice-for-beterbiev-trilogy-74ZuGPwqOdiotUCpn0FCSp).
Bivol's 2025 was also shaped by injury. He underwent surgery in August 2025 for a lumbar disc hernia, an injury his manager said had been progressively worsening and affecting his training camps, and began a six-week recovery program split between [Saint Petersburg](https://www.edgepedia.org/saint-petersburg) and Dubai with the aim of returning to competition in early 2026[19](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/bivol-en-rehabilitacion-tras-su-operacion-de-espalda-f202510-n/). By September 2026, with the series still tied 1-1 and no trilogy made, Bivol was reported to be targeting a December return in either the Beterbiev trilogy or a mandatory defense against former WBA super-middleweight champion [Callum Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/callum-smith), who had beaten [Joshua Buatsi](https://www.edgepedia.org/joshua-buatsi) on the rematch undercard[20](https://boxingnewsonline.net/news/dmitry-bivol-set-for-december-bout/).
## References
1. [Beterbiev vs Bivol 2 results and scorecards, World Boxing News](https://www.worldboxingnews.com/live-beterbiev-vs-bivol-results-scorecards/)
2. [Inspired Dmitry Bivol avenges loss to Artur Beterbiev in undisputed title thriller, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/beterbiev-bivol-result-score-rematch-b2702971.html)
3. [dmitry bivol en cifras:peleas, récord, kos y estadísticas del aspirante al título del peso semipesado](https://as.com/masdeporte/dmitry-bivol-en-cifras-peleas-record-kos-y-estadisticas-del-aspirante-al-titulo-del-peso-semipesado-n/)
4. [Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol official scorecard, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/10/12/24268779/artur-beterbiev-vs-dmitry-bivol-official-scorecard-boxing)
5. [IBA says despite offering Bivol double, he declined Beterbiev trilogy, The Ring](https://www.ringmagazine.com/news/iba-says-bivol-declined-lucrative-offers-twice-for-beterbiev-trilogy-74ZuGPwqOdiotUCpn0FCSp)
6. [Bivol Breaks Beterbiev, Boxing Data](https://boxing-data.com/blog/artur-beterbiev-vs-dmitry-bivol-review/)
7. [Dmitry Bivol vacates WBC world title to seek Artur Beterbiev bout, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/articles/cj3xn28880yo)
8. [Beterbiev vs. Bivol: The Rematch of the Year, World Boxing Association](https://www.wbaboxing.com/boxing-news/beterbiev-vs-bivol-the-rematch-of-the-year)
9. [Beterbiev vs Bivol 2: The dizzying numbers behind key claim about rematch, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/bivol-beterbiev-2-preview-rematch-b2700244.html)
10. [Beterbiev vs Bivol 2: horario, TV, cómo y dónde ver el combate, Diario AS](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/beterbiev-vs-bivol-2-horario-tv-como-y-donde-ver-el-combate-por-el-indiscutido-del-peso-semipesado-n/)
11. [Undisputed in Dispute, The Ring (December 2024)](https://thankful-crystal-c5f59294d4.media.strapiapp.com/FINAL_RING_12_DEC_24_C1_C4_single_1_compressed_1_571e677000.pdf)
12. [Bivol presenta una protesta oficial por la derrota con Beterbiev, Diario AS](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/bivol-presenta-una-protesta-oficial-por-la-derrota-con-beterbiev-n/)
13. [Dmitry Bivol profile, Uncrowned via UCSF-hosted PDF](https://meded.ucsf.edu/sites/rnajc.ucsf.edu/files/dmitry-bivol1.pdf)
14. [Beterbiev vs Bivol 2 official scorecards: Did judges get it right?, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/boxing/beterbiev-bivol-scorecards-judges-result-b2703064.html)
15. [WBC Special Preview: Beterbiev vs Bivol, World Boxing Council](https://wbcboxing.com/en/wbc-special-preview-beterbiev-vs-bivol/)
16. [WBO ruling on Callum Smith interim championship, World Boxing Organization](https://wboboxing.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Interim-Light-Heavyweight-Champion-Callum-Smith.pdf)
17. [Turki confirma la trilogía Beterbiev vs Bivol, Diario AS](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/turki-confirma-la-trilogia-beterbiev-vs-bivol-si-artur-acepta-tendremos-la-tercera-n/)
18. [Beterbiev Prefers Rubber Match With Bivol Over Benavidez, The Ring](https://www.ringmagazine.com/news/beterbiev-prefers-rubber-match-with-bivol-over-benavidez-kaXZANgiMV0ZuS5X9C0tD)
19. [Bivol, en rehabilitación tras su operación de espalda, Diario AS](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/bivol-en-rehabilitacion-tras-su-operacion-de-espalda-f202510-n/)
20. [Dmitry Bivol set for December fight against former champion, Boxing News](https://boxingnewsonline.net/news/dmitry-bivol-set-for-december-bout/)
21. [Dmitry Bivol takes brilliant revenge win over Artur Beterbiev in undisputed world championship fight](https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12040/13314800/dmitry-bivol-takes-brilliant-revenge-win-over-artur-beterbiev-in-undisputed-world-championship-fight)
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