Eddie Hearn has called for the judge who only gave Dmitry Bivol four rounds to ‘never work in the sport again’ after Artur Beterbiev became the undisputed light-heavyweight champion.
The hotly-anticipated light-heavyweight title clash didn’t disappoint with both fighters leaving nothing in the ring.
Bivol controlled the early rounds, but Beterbiev appeared to settle into the fight in the latter stages.
Manuel Oliver Palomo couldn’t separate them with his scorecard reading 114-114 while Glenn Feldman gave Bivol a slight edge at 115-113.
Dmitry Bivol lost to Artur Beterbiev
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However, judge Pawel Kardyni called it 116-112 in Bivol’s favour and it left Hearn furious after the fight.
Kardyni scored Bivol as winning rounds one, two, eight and nine with Beterbiev.
Matchroom Sports CEO Hearn has called for the Polish judge to be kicked out of boxing.
“I don’t want to disrespect Beterbiev, because they’re both incredible fighters, but I find it sickening that, after a lifetime of hard work, Bivol is not undisputed champion tonight,” Hearn said.
“He won that fight.
“I struggle to find anybody in our row; a row behind, the TV row, who didn’t score the fight to Bivol.
“To find a judge give that fight 116-112, and give Dmitry Bivol four rounds in that fight; this judge should never work in the sport again.
“Everything you’ll get out of Dmitry is: ‘I can do better; it’s boxing. I take the judges’ scorecard’, but I don’t buy it because you don’t deserve that after that performance.
Eddie Hearn was furious with the score of one judge
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“It was an absolute boxing masterclass. It was the perfect performance.
“He can be better, but that was a pure show of concentration, skill and defence, with offence thrown in.
“Bivol is arguably pound-for-pound No 1 in the sport. He deserves tonight to sit here as the undisputed light-heavyweight champion of the world.”
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Artur Beterbiev became the undisputed light-heavyweight champion
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Bivol immediately called for a rematch with Beterbiev after losing his first professional fight.
“I feel empty emotionally now,” Bivol said.
“I went to the ring only to win this fight but I don’t have my belt.
“If I have this chance of course I would like to fight again.”