To rematch or not to rematch?
That question still lingers across the desert sands after the overheated saber rattle that left one Cossack defeating another for undisputed supremacy as the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world.
The duel was close. Scoring is difficult. The decision was divided. Controversy is inevitable.
None of this justified the cries of theft as the sun rose over Riyadh's countless minarets. But fanatics are always in the shadow.
The winner of the match was Artur Beterbiev, who defeated Dmitry Bivol. Majority, not unanimity. Narrow, but without scandal.
Artur Beterbiew became the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world
Beterbiev defeated Dmitry Bivol in a fight that could have ended either way in Saudi Arabia
The first winner of all Aladdin's belts in this division, the toughest game in a quarter-century, wasn't bragging.
Beterbiev admitted he wasn't in his best shape and felt a little lucky that two of the three judges noticed he hit the shot with enough force to keep the night.
Bivol embarrassed the dervishes milling around his camp by scorning excuses instead of greeting his compatriot and admitting that perhaps his own effort was not as perfect in strokes and movements as he imagined. He left, promising to refine his skills even further if necessary for a rematch.
Will there be one? The chorus of both boxers was unequivocal: “Yes, if His Excellency so desires.” In other words, show me the money.
The payer in question, Turki Alalshikh, responded eagerly: “Yes, yes, next May.”
That in the heat of the moment, the man who was reported to have crossed their hands with approximately ten million dollars each to play his part in the spectacular sound and light opening of Riyad's winter Sports, Entertainment and Culture Season.
But will the first edition of Beterbiev v. Bivol stand up to prolonged scrutiny? Wouldn't the worst realization be that the long-awaited clash between two of the best 175-pound fighters in the world didn't live up to expectations?
The fight was fierce and controversy was inevitable – but that didn't justify the cry of theft
Bivol vowed to prepare for a potential rematch, but public appetite may be limited
It was a fight of the highest technical level for the brotherhood of the ring to enjoy, but will there really be a huge appetite from the audience to watch it again?
Personally, I was among those who admired the elite skills and enormous physical fitness of two thirty-year-olds. I would like them to settle the dispute once and for all. But truth be told, this wasn't the humdinger, whizz-bang, stratospheric, edge-sitting, supersonic, mind-blowing fight for the ages that we hoped would usher in a renaissance of boxing's golden age.
So this year's fight? I doubt it. There was no explosion of action comparable to the pyrotechnics of the opening ceremony. No searing intensity matched the flames burning above the curtain-raising performances of currently fashionable rappers.
There were two brave men who handled their brutal affairs better than most others in the industry. Perhaps they were overwhelmed by the sense of importance brought by the scale of the event.
Beterbiev wasn't quite his own Monster. Bivol displayed his usual craftsmanship, but – at a cost – he spent too many, too long pauses between his brilliant flourishes, standing back and admiring his work.
A little drama. Neither of them was ever in danger. Little tension in the building. Thrilla in Arabia – that wasn't it.
The details were fascinating.
Bivol, now the principal dancer of boxing as a workers' ballet, had no trouble passing the first three rounds, in which his rapier dominated the notoriously slow-starting Beterbiev.
The middle rounds went back and forth. A few goals could have been tied, but this type of scoring is not universally accepted, so the visitors usually went for the one who was conspicuous with a violent strike before the bell.
There's no denying that Beterbiev's barnstorming in the final rounds has put him in serious contention.
Still Bivol withstood what was now the world's biggest pound-for-pound puncher and became the first man to take KO trader Beterbiev to the distance of 12 rounds.
Well done to both, but there was only one winner. Two judges gave the nod to Beterbiev, one by a 116-112 majority, which was somewhat unfair to Bivol.
One at 115-113 which mirrored my own card. The third player at the ring could have scored correctly, drawing the score 114-114, which would be an even stronger reason for a replay.
But are they really willing? Beterbiev, although a phenomenon at the age of 39, suggested that maybe he was finally feeling his age, saying: “I didn't feel good and I would have to be better in the return match.”
Being undisputed could be his “ultimate achievement” after which he can retire.
Bivol, 33, still nurtures that same ambition, but the fire still burns just as brightly when he says, “I'm faced with another decision about my future.”
Bivol faced the world's greatest pound-for-pound boxer, but there was only one winner
Beterbiev's final barnstorming rounds put him in serious contention for the belt
If they were just doing it for the money, should they still be doing it? His Excellency's enthusiasm as a boxing enthusiast may also be an indicator that there is no bottomless pit of superfights that could fuel his revolution in the sport. Not all of them are in high demand in the mainstream US pay-per-view market.
There are two big heavyweight world title rematches coming up in Riyad: Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk on December 21, then Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois on February 22. Other offerings in the oil pipeline do not have such a high octane rating.
All right. If the well can temporarily dry up in May and Beterbiev and Bivol give their consent, let's act.
