ARTUR BETERBIEV was told “you have to knock him out” by his own corner – just minutes before beating Dmitry Bivol on points.
Beterbiev slugged it out with his fellow Russian in Riyadh on Saturday night in their light-heavyweight world title showdown.
It looked as though Bivol was on his way to securing the belts with most viewers having him far enough ahead on their own mental scorecards.
And even Beterbiev’s team appeared to agree that their man was behind in the latter stages.
So much so that it is understood they were telling the 39-year-old veteran that he had to go for broke to stop Bivol inside the 12 rounds in order to maintain his unbeaten record and become undisputed champ.
However, Beterbiev could not secure the knockout as the final bell sounded and it came down to the judges’ scorecards.
And eyebrows were raised when it was controversially given to Beterbiev on a majority decision.
One judge had it 114-114 but the others went with 115-113 and 116-112 to Beterbiev.
Bivol’s gutted promotor Eddie Hearn let rip at the result – and cited the victor’s camp’s comments in the corner as evidence.
Hearn said: “In one of the biggest fights of our generation and in the most important fight in Dmitry Bivol‘s life you give him FOUR rounds?
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“It’s absolutely disgusting.
“You heard in the tenth round ‘you have to knock him out to win this fight’.
“They knew Artur Beterbiev lost this fight. I’m absolutely baffled and disgusted by a scorecard of 116-112.
“I don’t want to disrespect Artur Beterbiev but Dmitry Bivol should be the undisputed champion tonight and that judge should never work again.
“Four rounds in a fight of that magnitude is disgusting.”
Fans watching the fight on TV were also furious at the outcome.
One said: “Beterbiev’s corner last two rounds, ‘You have to knock him out,’ implying they know they are going to lose. And then there goes that judge with his 116-112 scorecard. It’s just indefensible.”
Another wrote: “In the ninth and tenth rounds, Arthur’s corner kept telling him ‘you have to knock him out’ – that basically means you are losing and you have to put his a** to sleep.”
A third added: “There’s no bigger Beterbiev fan than me and that was one of the worst robberies I’ve ever seen in boxing. That’s insane.”
A fourth commented: “Can’t call it a robbery when it’s close, but Bivol deserved to win. He killed the threat of Beterbiev, and schooled him in some moments. There’s a reason Beterbievs’ corner told him ‘you have to knock him out’ in the last rounds…”
And a final user fumed: “F*** BOXING. Bivol has just produced one of the best 12-round performances I’ve ever seen and won that fight easily it’s an absolute robbery. 116-112 to Beterbiev is the worst card of all time.”
Today I am lucky
Artur Beterbiev
Even Beterbiev admitted he was “lucky” to win the fight.
But he did respond to the accusations of his corner’s comments about needing a knockout.
The champ insisted that is just their standard practice for the man who had won all 20 of his previous professional bouts by knockout.
Beterbiev said: “They always say that.
“I was more focused but not more aggressive. It’s my experience and I am happy. I am a very simple boxer.
“I feel not bad. I did not good today.
“I wanted to box with more quality. I’ll be better one day. It was a little bit uncomfortable.
“Of course, it was a tough fight because Dmitry is a tough champion and he has tough skills, better than me.
“During the fight, we always try to change something. I didn’t deliver more punches, I don’t know. Today I am lucky too.”
