SPECULATION is mounting over the next fight in the career of Dmitry Bivol.
The undisputed light heavyweight champion avenged his only career defeat on February 22 by beating Artur Beterbiev and taking home the four world titles.
Things may not be about to get any easier if reports are to be believed, however. The WBC have already ordered Bivol, 24-1 (12 KOs), to defend his championship against mandatory challenger David Benavidez. However, the influential and powerful Turki Alalshikh recently told The Ring he was “no longer interested” in the fight
“I will not bid on it,” he said.
“I think Bivol knows who has delivered for him and who hasn’t. My advice to Bivol: don’t be late because every day something changes.”
And in boxing it normally does. On Sunday ESPN Knockout’s Julius Julianus posted on X, “PBC and Matchroom are very close to finalizing an agreement for Bivol and David Benavídez to face each other this summer.”
Benavidez, 30-0 (24 KOs), was in action a few weeks before Beterbiev-Bivol 2 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas where the 28-year-old bested David Morrell over 12 rounds following a volatile build-up. It was a second victory for ‘The Monster’ at 175lbs following his divisional debut in June 2024 against Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
Bivol also has an IBF mandatory to fulfil in the shape of Germany’s Michael Eifert who has been waiting in the wings for some time. Last October the sanctioning body ordered Artur Beterbiev, then champion, to face Eifert. However, the IBF did reveal that the champion could still request an exception to make a voluntary defence. Five months later Beterbiev did so in a rematch against Bivol.
Should Bivol choose to vacate his IBF strap the vacant title could be contested between Eifert and number two contender Conor Wallace.
