Six years ago, on October 18, 2019, the light heavyweight division crossed a line it has never gone back from. For the first time two undefeated world champions at 175 pounds, Artur Beterbiev and Oleksandr Gvozdyk, fought to settle who truly ruled the division, later setting the path that would eventually lead to the Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol showdown. What followed that night reshaped the division and redefined what it meant to rule at light heavyweight.
For much of the fight, this was a high-level chess match. Gvozdyk boxed sharply early, controlling distance with his jab and clean combinations, while Beterbiev applied constant pressure, looking to break him down. The rounds were close, competitive, and tense - so much so that the judges’ scorecards were split when the fight reached its final act.
As the fight wore on, Beterbiev’s physicality and relentless right hand began to drain Gvozdyk. The ninth round was the turning point, with Beterbiev finally cracking through clean and repeatedly hurting his opponent. By the tenth, the pressure became unbearable: three knockdowns in under three minutes forced the referee to step in and end the contest.
That stoppage crowned Beterbiev as the unified and lineal light heavyweight champion, and quietly set the tone for the modern era of the division. From that night on, 175 pounds was no longer about finesse alone and became a division defined by physical dominance, durability, and the ability to survive sustained pressure, looming over every top contender today.
More than five years later, this fight began the moment Beterbiev proved he could break an elite boxer, and the moment the light heavyweight division entered its most unforgiving chapter. If you want to understand how today’s 175-pound landscape was shaped, this is definitely the fight to revisit!
Watch Beterbiev vs. Gvozdyk full fight here.
Image Credit: ESPN