Following Dmitry Bivol’s razor-thin loss to Artur Beterbiev on Saturday night, controversy has erupted around the judges' scorecards. Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, wasted no time expressing his discontent with the outcome, calling out the disparity in the official scores.
The former WBA light heavyweight champion, Bivol, appeared to have done enough to win, but the results told a different story. Judge Glenn Feldman scored it 115-113 in Beterbiev’s favor, while Judge Manuel Oliver Palomo scored it a 114-114 draw. The most puzzling score came from Pawel Kardyni, who turned in a wide 116-112 in favor of Beterbiev, sparking outrage from Bivol's team and fans alike.
Kornilov has vowed to file a formal protest, particularly targeting Kardyni’s scorecard. "These judges need to be held accountable," Kornilov said during an interview. He also hinted at questionable behavior from officials, raising concerns about the integrity of the fight. "We saw people congratulating Beterbiev’s promoter even before the decision was announced," Kornilov added, suggesting potential bias.
Despite the controversy, the fight was incredibly close, with Bivol out-landing Beterbiev by only five punches over the 12 rounds. While protests in boxing rarely lead to overturning results, Kornilov's demand for transparency and accountability from officials has resonated with many in the sport. Whether or not the protest yields any changes, it has certainly added fuel to the ongoing debate about judging in boxing.
What do you think - was the judging fair, or did Bivol deserve the win?
You can read the full event results here.
Image Credit: Matchroom Boxing