While the result of the October 12th Beterbiev-Bivol match was considered a controversy in a manner of speaking, the appearance by Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov has further raised eyebrows following a brief appearance on the DAZN streaming service where he was witnessed embracing Artur Beterbiev prior to the announcement of the scorecards of the undisputed light-heavyweight bout. This relationship that was captured on camera now presents a number of issues, prominently centered around the allegations surrounding Kadyrov perpetrating human rights violations―which has also spurred questions surrounding his influence on the Beterbiev-Bivol match in Saudi Arabia, with at least one member of Bivol’s team linking him to corrupting one of the judges.
Ramzan Kadyrov has awakened a storm of scrutiny following his appearance at the October 12th Beterbiev-Bivol match which saw Russian-Canadian fighter Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KO’s) become the undisputed light-heavyweight (175 lbs) champion after defeating Dmitry Bivol (23-1, 12 KO’s)―in an extremely close fight―by majority decision (MD).
Kadyrov, 48, currently stands accused of a slew of human rights violations by the Human Rights Watch, including torture, kidnapping and assassination which allegedly transpired both in Chechnya and Russia. Kadyrov is currently the head of the Russian state of the Chechen Republic. These accusations has culminated in Kadyrov being blacklisted in several countries, including the United States of America, which makes his recent appearance at the Riyadh Season’s October 12th event even more significant.
While the exact relationship between Kadyrov and Beterbiev is unknown, the two were spotted hugging each other prior to the announcement of the winner of the Beterbiev-Bivol card―suggesting the two have an amicable relationship.
This is potentially career-damaging for the 39-year old Beterbiev who has had few to no controversies in and outside of the ring throughout his boxing career. While Beterbiev’s link to a perceived criminal “warlord” ― as Kadyrov is often perceived as in Western media ― is already damaging alone, the result of his fight with Bivol is now under question.
Following the close-natured bout between the two Russian fighters, in which Beterbiev was brought to the distance by Bivol for the first time of his career, one judge scored the fight as a 114-114 draw, while two others had in favor of Beterbiev through scorecards of 115-113 and 116-112. The 116-112 scorecard in particular stuck out, as the bout was perceived too close to warrant such a wide score.
The judge responsible for the 116-112 card has been identified as Polish judge Pawel Kardyni―an experienced official who has been judging professional boxing bouts since 2001. Notably, Kardyni was one of the three judges that officiated the Usyk-Dubois match held last year on August 26th.
No exact link between Kardyni and Kadyrov has yet been established, but Vadim Kornilov―Bivol’s manager―has accused Pawel Kardyni of fraternizing with Kadyrov, remarking during a recent interview that “when [Kardyni] comes back from Chechnya, he should be suspended“. This alludes to Kadyrov’s reputation for inviting celebrities to his private luxury home in Chechnya, though Kornilov’s statements can be construed as bitter remarks from a disappointed manager.
However, while the result itself might not face any changes, Beterbiev’s own status as a Canadian citizen might be in jeopardy following his public embrace of the Chechen president. Canada has shown revulsion at alleged anti-gay purges by Kadyrov in Chechnya, and presumably Beterbiev’s ties with the Kadyrov might warrant them revoking his acquired Canadian nationality―depending on the structure of laws within the country and the government’s efforts in holding Kadyrov responsible for his alleged anti-gay crimes.
It is still unknown why Ramzan Kadyrov was allowed at the event given he is one of the world’s most controversial figures, but it is suspected his purported relationship with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Muhammad bin Salman, might have granted him access to the October 12th event. Bin Salman is largely regarded as one of the unspoken benefactors behind Riyadh Season, and it is speculated he holds considerable influence in boxing through General Entertainment Authority (GEA) chairman, Turki Alalshikh, who has the occupation of “royal adviser” to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Last Saturday’s event was filled with a number of high-profile celebrities including the likes of Brazilian footballer Neymar and American recording artist Busta Rhymes.
No investigation is expected to be held against Polish judge Pawel Kardyni―as boxing is legitimately one of the most corrupt sports, but the mere interaction Beterbiev and Kardynov might spark a flame that can envelop various aspects inside and outside of boxing, and subsequently affect Beterbiev’s own professional boxing career.
