Dimitry Bivol is the undisputed champ at light heavyweight (Picture: Getty Images)
Dimitry Bivol produced the best performance Eddie Hearn has ever seen in the flesh as he beat Artur Beterbiev in Riyadh on Saturday night.
The 34-year-old is the undisputed king at light heavyweight after beating Beterbiev by majority decision to claim the IBF, WBA, IBO, WBC and WBO world title belts.
It was revenge for Bivol after he lost by the same result to Beterbiev in their first fight in October, with the judges posting the exact same scores but in reverse.
The new champion claimed victory with scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114 from the judges in Saudi Arabia, with the 40-year-old Beterbiev handed his first professional defeat.
Promoter Hearn was thrilled with what he saw from his fighter, saying he has never seen a better display from ringside.
Hearn wrote on social media: ‘So proud of you, @bivol_d. That was the greatest performance I’ve ever seen live. You did it my friend! #undisputed.’
It now seems certain that Bivol and Beterbiev will meet in a third fight to decide their superb rivalry for supremacy at 175lbs.
Bivol battled through a nasty cut against Beterbiev (Picture: Getty Images)
Beterbiev said of the likely trilogy bout: ‘I didn’t want the second fight, it wasn’t my choice, but no problem. We can do a third fight if we need to.’
The champion added: ‘I’m ready for any challenge. But I want a little bit of 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.’
On his victory, Bivol said: ‘I was better. I was pushing myself more. I was more confident. I was lighter. I just wanted to win so much today.
‘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 I have to be smarter. I have to punch more cleanly and I did.’
Joseph Parker put down Martin Bakole and won in round two (Picture: Getty Images).
Elsewhere on the card in Riyadh, Joseph Parker made quick work of late replacement Martin Bakole, knocking him out in the second round of their heavyweight fight.
Bakolie stepped in at two day’s notice to replace the ill Daniel Dubois and Parker feels he now deserves a shot at the heavyweight ruler Oleksandr Usyk.
‘Who’s next? Can I fight for the world title next? If Usyk wants a dance partner, I’d like to fight for the world title,’ said the New Zealander.
Usyk sounds less interested, though, and despite sitting out the action on Saturday, IBF champion Dubois remains his preferred opponent.
After sitting ringside in Riyadh, Usyk told Boxing King: ‘I want the next fight with Daniel Dubois, undisputed.’
On the location of that potential bout, the Ukrainian said: ‘London, Riyadh Season, it doesn’t matter.’
There was also a win at heavyweight for Agit Kabayel who knockout out Zhilei Zhang in the sixth round, while Callum Smith scored an impressive unanimous decision victory over Joshua Buatsi at 175lbs.
Late replacement Josh Padley also put in a brave performance against Shakur Stevenson but suffered a TKO defeat in the ninth against the WBC lightweight champion.