THEY shared 12 rounds - but even though Artur Beterbiev was crowned the light-heavyweight king, we still do not really know who is the better fighter.
Dmitry Bivol left Saudi Arabia without the WBA belt he came with - but this fight was so close it feels wrong to call him the loser.
That does not mean Beterbiev's win was unmerited. It just felt such a close bout that neither man deserved to surrender their unbeaten record or belts.
The record books will show that Beterbiev is now the holder of all four titles in the division after a majority points win, though.
The first man to be crowned undisputed champion at lightheavyweight since Roy Jones Jr in 1999.
But the thirst for another fight between these two rivals is huge after this barnburner of a battle in the Saudi capital.
This story is from the October 14, 2024 edition of Daily Star.
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This story is from the October 14, 2024 edition of Daily Star.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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