Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol were virtually inseparable when it came to punch statistics.

Beterbiev won by majority decision over Bivol, with one judge scoring it 114-114, while the other two judges had him favored by scores of 115-113 and 116-112.

The fight between Bivol and Beterbiev was a solid one.

In this fight, Beterbiev became the first light heavyweight champion in the four-belt era.

The boxing community was divided on the outcome of this all-Russian fight, and CompuBox’s punch statistics show a very small difference between the two fighters.

In eight of the 12 rounds, the two men were separated by four punches or less, with Bivol throwing more punches than Beterbiev, with a total of 142 to his opponent’s 137.

In terms of straight punches, Bivol had the upper hand with 58 to Beterbiev’s 47, but Beterbiev had the upper hand with the big punches, landing 90 to Bivol’s 84.

In the round breakdown, Beterbiev led in six rounds, while Bivol had the upper hand in five.

The sixth round ended evenly, with both men landing exactly nine punches each.

With such a close contest, most felt judge Pawel Kardyni’s scorecard of 116-112 was too lopsided.

Eddie Hearn, Bivol’s promoter, expressed his disappointment with the result immediately after the fight.

“In one of the biggest fights of this generation, the most important fight of Dmitry Bivol’s career, you give him four rounds?” Hearn said on the DAZN broadcast.

“It was horrible. You heard Beterbiev’s corner in the 10th round, they said he had to knock him out.”

The punch statistics were extremely close

Beterbiev officially became the first undisputed light heavyweight champion in the four-belt era.

Rival promoter Frank Warren agreed, adding: “I gave Bivol a couple of rounds.

“I thought it was a close fight, but it can’t be 8-4.

“It’s ridiculous. Everyone around the ring thought Bivol won. They should have a rematch.

“The 8-4 score is a joke.”