Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol display world class skills in undisputed title bout that demands an encore

Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol did themselves and their sport proud on Saturday in their duel for the undisputed light heavyweight championship at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

They met the moment in one of the most significant fights of the year and put on a terrific battle that Beterbiev won by majority decision. Judge Manuel Oliver Palomo had it even, 114-114. Glenn Feldman had it 115-113 and Pawel Kardyni had it 116-112 for Beterbiev, who added Bivol's WBA belt to the IBF, WBC and WBO belts he brought into the bout. I had it 115-113 for Bivol.

This was one of those bouts that could have gone either way, and the right score was either 6-6 or 7-5 either way. Bivol boxed brilliantly, using his jab to keep Beterbiev off-balance and his movement and footwork to keep the fight in the center of the ring.

Beterbiev, though, was far from out-classed. He's a slugger and one of the hardest hitters in boxing in recent times, and entered the bout with a 20-0 record and 20 knockouts. He, too, though, showed plenty of boxing skills and he adjusted in the second half by pressuring more and going to the body.

Those adjustments won the fight. He was down 87-84 on Palomo's card and 86-85 on Feldman's after nine. He was ahead 86-85 on Kardyni's after nine. But Beterbiev swept the final three rounds on all three cards to win the fight.

"I thought it was a really close type of fight and depending on what you were looking for, you could have gone either way," Beterbiev assistant trainer John Scully told me after the bout. "When Artur was on the inside, he was working good and I would have liked to have seen him do more. Bivol boxed very well and his legs were very good. I was in the fight so who knows how it should have been scored, but I knew the way the fight was going, going into the last few rounds somebody was going to have to push to get the decision and Artur did that."

The taciturn Beterbiev wasn't thrilled with his performance. He fought only five months after knee surgery that postponed the bout that was originally scheduled for June 1, but he didn't make excuses about that.

Bivol is an elite opponent who holds a clear decision victory over Canelo Alvarez, and so it was never going to be easy. Beterbiev, though, thought he was a bit off despite the win.

"I feel not bad," Beterbiev said. "I did not good today. I wanted to box today with more quality, you know. I don't know why, but I didn't like this fight. But I'll be better one day."

The fight clearly calls for a rematch. There is no rematch clause and Top Rank president Todd duBoef said he'd let the market decide. If fans want a rematch, he's open to it. If no, he'll look at something else for Beterbiev.

The best opponents would be super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez or David Benavidez, the interim WBC light heavyweight champion who will face David Morrell in January. Alvarez has never shown much interest in a Beterbiev fight, but Benavidez would likely jump on the opportunity if he gets by Morrell and it's presented.

Both fighters said they were interested in doing it again.

Scully said "this is the kind of fight that almost demands a rematch." Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti said it is too early to make that call, but said it's something the company would seriously consider.

"A rematch would be acceptable by all means," Moretti told me. "I think there are other options out there. Is there someone at 168 who wants to move up and give him a shot? Benavidez? That would be a hell of a match. Artur has options but we have to take a step back and see how it looks."

What they see when they watch the fight again was a pair of highly skilled fighters who poured their hearts out in the ring. Bivol credited Beterbiev for hitting hard and said the swelling around his left eye was from Beterbiev hitting him on his glove and the glove bashing into his face.

"He's powerful; very powerful," Bivol said.

The intrigue in the fight going in was how Bivol would deal with Beterbiev's power. Beterbiev is arguably the hardest puncher in boxing since Mike Tyson, particularly in the upper weight classes, and in 20 fights going in had scored a knockout in three rounds or less eight times.

Bivol took Beterbiev's shots well, though he was rocked in a back-and-forth seventh round. He moved and jabbed and never allowed Beterbiev to pin him on the ropes and unload.

Beterbiev started to go to the body more in the second half of the fight as he mounted his comeback and it's what got him the decision.

"I think it was a fight of two halves," Moretti said. "Bivol really boxed in the first round and Artur was kept a lot on the outside. In the second half, Artur started to walk him down and chase him and I think Bivol tired a little. I was surprised Bivol stood in front of him as much as he did, but it made for a good fight. It was a good fight, not a great fight, but there were great parts of certain rounds. It was a fight deserving of the [undisputed title]."