Did Beterbiev deserve the win?

[Cableaddict]

Initially at the end of the fight, I thought it should have either been a draw or a slim decision win for Bivol.

 

- But then I thought about it, and realized that I had been swayed by the commentators.   Of course, their main job is to try and make fights more exciting for the viewers, so as is typical, they oohed & ahhhed at every punch Bivol threw, even though the vast majority were fully blocked.   I'd go as far as to say that Bivol played it way too safe, and basically threw the fight away.  It was far from the expected FOTY.

 

So yeah,  IMO Beter won by several rounds at least.

[Ledhed1]

I had your initial reaction, Cable, and stuck with it. I didn't see Beterbiev win enough rounds to win the fight. A draw was plausible. I think the judges could have been fooled in two ways. One was Beterbiev's punch output. He threw far more punches. This wouldn't be the first - and won't be the last - judging panel to be swayed by punches thrown but not landed. I think both guys blocked more punches than they were given credit for. Bivol did himself no favors with his diminished aggressiveness. He attacked in spurts - effectively I'd say - but that's not his M.O. I think he was spooked by Beterbiev's power and took the conservative route. He made the fight closer than it needed to be and he paid the price.

The other way the judges were influenced was there were two or three rounds Bivol was winning and Beterbiev stole em in the last 10-30 seconds. Another shortcoming in judges we've come to live with. Don't see a rematch being much different. Don't think Bivol's trepidation goes away. If anything, there's a 50% less chance Bivol could steer clear of Beterbiev's hammer over 24 rounds than 12.