EDDIE HEARN was “disgusted” after Artur Beterbiev’s majority decision win over his man Dmitry Bivol – while fans called it the “biggest robbery of all time”.
Beterbiev edged out his rival and former Russian team-mate as the thrilling light heavyweight undisputed title fight went the distance.
One judge scored the fight at 114-114, while the other two went 115-113 and 116-12 in 39-year-old Beterbiev’s favour.
However, many fans and pundits at home had scored the bout in Bivol’s favour.
And taking to social media following the fight, one angry viewer said: “We just witnessed the biggest robbery OF ALL TIME. WHAT??????”
A second said: “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.”
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A third said: “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.”
Three-weight champion Shakur Stevenson posted the score card numbers in Beterbiev’s favour alongside a pair of laughing emojis.
Bivol’s promoter Eddie Hearn was also furious with the surprising 116-112 scorecard.
Speaking after the fight, he 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? It’s absolutely disgusting.
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“You heard (Beterbiev’s corner) in the 10th 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.”
Boxing stars past and present backed Bivol too, although many saw it as a lot closer than Hearn.
Tony Bellew wrote: ‘I’ve got Bivol winning that! The last round was so close again but I just feel Bivol landed the better shots all night long.
“Great combinations, Great fight. Beterbiev was outstanding! Nearly 40 years old and he’s finishing fights as strong as he did when he was 20! Well done to both warriors.”
Scotland’s former undisputed world champion Josh Taylor added: “I thought Bivol but, it is what it is. Great fight, boxing needs more of this.”
And American Ryan Garcia was fully in Hearn’s corner, writing: “Wow, robbery if you ask me.”
Queensberry promoter Frank Warren also agreed with his Matchroom rival that the decision went the wrong way.
He said: “I gave it to Bivol by a couple of rounds. That score of 8-4 is beyond ridiculous. Everyone around that ring thought Bivol had won it by at least two rounds.
“There should be a rematch because it was such a quality fight. Brilliant skills in there by Bivol, his jab was superb. Artur the last couple of rounds was told it was sink or swim.
“The score 8-4 was a joke. It’s terrible when you get a fight like that and it ends in controversy.”
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Beterbiev’s win makes him the first unified light heavyweight champion since Roy Jones Jr.
He said afterwards that he was “lucky”, and was happy to have a rematch if Saudi boxing supremos want it.
He added: “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.”
Despite being devastated Bivol, 33, was gracious in defeat.
He said in the ring moments after the decision was announced: “I am a warrior. I have no explanation because it looks like excuses. I am a warrior. I don’t know, I did my job but I felt like I could do better but it was just the opinion of some judges.
“Congratulations to Artur. He is powerful, very powerful. I have a bruise from my hand, he hit it and it was so hard.”
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Asked if he was keen on a rematch, he said: “Why not? Of course. It is my dream to be undisputed.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
