Next up, Chris Eubank returns after 16 months out the ring.

Bivol retains his title and moves to 18-0. Craig Richards’ stock went up in defeat.

118-110, 115-113 and 115-114 all in favour of Dmitry Bivol who beats Craig Richards by unanimous decision.

Wow, that was very close in the end on two of the cards. One round the other way and suddenly the Brit would have nabbed a split decision draw.

Bivol deserved to nick it, but that was some display from Richards. A career-best, brave performance.

Round 12: Final three minutes but you wouldn’t know it as both men look as rock solid as they did in the first, albeit with a few bumps and bruises.

Richards isn’t emptying the kitchen sink in the first half of the round like you would hope he could as Bivol looks happy to send this to the cards.

A nice flurry from Richards as we enter the last minute is taken on the chin once more. Bivol comes back with a nice body shot as the urgency creeps in from the challenger.

Both men sit on each other’s chests and we go to the judges. Bivol will get this but I’d like to see Richards get three four rounds on the cards.

Round 11: Craig Richards has six minutes to try and stop Dmitry Bivol.

Very few shots landed in the opening minute of the eleventh. Then Richards gets things going with a nice one-two and again it’s the Brit who is forcing the pace. Bivol looks content with a points win now.

The work rate has been upped from Richards, although the power in his shots does not seem to be phasing the champion one bit.

Bivol then ends with an exquisite right hand-left hook to catch the eye of the judges.

Three minutes left for a seriously game Richards who has probably nicked three rounds or so. He deserves to hear the final bell.

Round 10: Bivol might be winning this clearly, but he’ll know he’s been in a fight tomorrow morning. Marked up all over the money shot.

A clubbing right hand lands from Richards gets the respect of Bivol but then the Russian answers with a wonderful combination of his own which forces Richards back on his heels.

Richards is going down fighting though! He unloads on Bivol, moving from body to head with good accuracy and this is turning into a slug fest in the tenth!

Both men exchange bombs in the final few seconds as those around the ring give them a round of applause on the bell.

Great action. Brave as you like from Richards.

Round 9: Richards’ trainer Tony Sims tells his man he needs to start letting his hands go. The one-two gets through numerous times from the Brit as he begins to try and force the issue a little more.

Bivol doesn’t look in any danger but it’s a good round from Richards just when he needed to show something.

Both men evade punches as the accuracy is a little lacklustre towards the end of the round. Not a lot of quality from Bivol but a nice jab at the end of the three minutes reminds Richards of his pedigree.

Round 8: Oh that is sumptuous from Bivol. The Russian paws out a jab and then turns it into a lovely left hook that crushes the side of Richards’ temple.

The Brit is losing round after round here now and taking punishment to the head. The power isn’t putting him over but sometimes that can be more worrying in the long run.

Another round where Bivol is the busier, more accurate fighter despite some decent jabs from Richards.

Could be a decision for the Richards corner soon.

Nice representation of how to use your jab as the smaller fighter…

Round 7: Worth saying that I don’t think many would have seen Richards making it into the second half of the fight, so you have to give him props for that.

With that being said, a barrage of punches deters Richards again at the start of the seventh. Another jab deflates the Brit’s face and then a lovely slip left hook is eaten by Richards.

You do wonder if Bivol punching upwards means he can’t get as much power in his shots as he would like – Richards is a good few inches taller.

As I write that, a fierce right hand pummels Richards once more, but the Brit takes it well.