Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5 vs. 5: Dmitry Bivol vs. Malik Zinad: Live round-by-round updates

Dmitry Bivol
Dmitry Bivol (left) vs. Malik Zinad (right) took place on the Queensberry vs. Matchroom event [Image courtesy: @Malik_Zinad on Instagram]

Dmitry Bivol and Malik Zinad are scheduled to fight for two light heavyweight world titles during the Queensberry vs. Matchroom event.

According to ESPN, Bivol is the number four-ranked pound-for-pound boxer on the planet. On Saturday (June 1), the 33-year-old light heavyweight champion plans to extend his record to 23-0 and leave the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia as the WBA and IBO light heavyweight world champion.

Bivol's upcoming opponent is Zinad, an undefeated (22-0) light heavyweight from Libya. The 33-year-old has an opportunity to pull off a historic upset, as he's facing a massive step-up in the competition after defeating Jerome Pampelione by a majority decision on April 24.

Follow along with Sportskeeda for round-by-round updates of the WBA and IBO light heavyweight title bout.

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more


Dmitry Bivol vs. Malik Zinad

Round 1:

Dmitry Bivol vs. Malik Zinad is underway. Zinad comes out pumping the jab, which looks heavy. Bivol lands a sharp left early, he's currently downloading the data and taking his time. Zinad is throwing more but hasn't landed anything significant.

Zinad lands a solid one-two and has looked solid early. WOW, Bivol drops Zinad down out of nowhere with a left hook. Zinad got a little too eager and paid the price. Bivol seems to have already picked up on the range and he's starting to do damage with the few punches he's throwing.

Round 2:

Malik Zinad could be in trouble because defensively he hasn't shown the fundamental skills to take out Dmitry Bivol. Zinad is still pumping out the jab, trying to push Bivol back and set up a power shot. Bivol lands a left and is starting to dominate this fight early.

Bivol lands another straight right. He's starting to push Zinad back and slowly trap him in the corner. Bivol isn't throwing a lot of volume, but he's finding the target and taking another round. Zinad needs to turn this fight around quickly. It sounds like Zinad and his corner aren't on the same page between rounds.

Round 3:

Malik Zinad's jab is finding some success. As the commentators mentioned, it might not be the best strategy because Dmitry Bivol's jab is world-class. Bivol is slowly starting to let his hands go, moving forward more and pushing Zinad back.

Zinad is mostly landing one punch at a time, while Bivol is building up his combinations. Zinad lands a solid combination to crack through Bivol's incredible defense. Bivol is being more aggressive than usual as he takes another round.

Round 4:

Malik Zinad is settling into this fight, but Dmitry Bivol is on track for another dominant win. Zinad continues to utilize more footwork with his jab and had a good start to the round. Zinad's corner is screaming at the top of their lungs, no words, just screaming.

Bivol is pushing through Zinad's jab and moving forward. This is arguably Zinad's best round as he is slightly frustrating Bivol with his jab, even if they aren't landing clean. Bivol can't get going this round and Zinad is gaining confidence. They had a heated exchange at the end and talked trash with their heads together.

Round 5:

Dmitry Bivol and Malik Zinad are exchanging jabs with not much coming behind them to start the round. Zinad lands a clean straight right hand. What a turn of events, Bivol is still winning, but Zinad is gaining confidence and not taking much damage after the early knockdown in round one.

Bivol lands a right hand on the inside. Zinad responds to someone outside of the ring claiming he's tired. Once again, Bivol hasn't thrown much in this round. Zinad has bounced back in the last two rounds. Let's see how he looks in the later rounds.

Bivol temporarily traps Zinad in the corner and lands a few punches. Zinad is bouncing around the outside of the ring.

Round 6:

Malik Zinad pumps out nine or ten jabs to start the round. Dmitry Bivol lands a good body shot. Bivol looks good when he's throwing, but he's not throwing enough. He's likely still winning cleanly on the scorecards, but Zinad is overperforming.

Bivol hit Zinad with a clean left hook. Bivol lands a MASSIVE right hand. He's all over Zinad, unloading devastating power punches. The referee steps in. IT'S ALL OVER!

In hindsight, Dmitry Bivol waited for the right opportunity and capitalized. Impressive finish. Could have arguably been a better performance. Malik Zinad is protesting but the referee had no choice.

Watch the fight-ending sequence between Bivol and Zinad below:

Official Decision: Dmitry Bivol def. Malik Zinad by standing TKO (Round 6, 2:06)

Dmitry Bivol remains the WBA and IBO light heavyweight world champion.

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Quick Links

Edited by Jake Foley
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications