Dmitry Bivol may lose another world title.
The unified WBA, WBO and IBF light heavyweight champion was stripped of his WBC strap last year for choosing to pursue a trilogy with Artur Beterbiev. The two Russians have battled twice in two razor close contests, with the score one a piece, hence the desire for a decider.
A back injury to Bivol put an end to talks of a trilogy but after a year out of the ring the Russian returned last month with a lopsided decision against overmatched IBF mandatory Michael Eifert. Beterbiev, now 41 years old, is still demanding a rubber match he believes he is owed.
Bivol, however, has another mandatory due: WBO interim titleholder Callum Smith.
The clock is ticking on Bivol’s decision; pursue a rematch with Beterbiev and lose his WBO title or take on Smith who, like Bivol, is promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. David Benavidez, the WBC titlist at 175, is also under consideration.
“[It shouldn’t be long, because obviously [Bivol’s] finished his fight now and we need to make sure that we move forward with the plans,” Hearn told BoxingScene. “Dmitry wants the biggest fights in the sport, he’s had his little run out against Eifert – his mandatory – and now he’s got to decide if he’s going to fight Callum Smith or vacate the WBO.
“There’s a lot of interest in the Beterbiev fight in Russia, it’s a fight that’s important to Dmitry. I think the Benavidez fight is a great fight but so is the Callum Smith fight and obviously it’s interesting having both those guys as are our clients. So we’ve got to see what’s next, and if he vacates Callum Smith will be elevated to full champion. Not what [Smith] would have wanted but he’ll go out and defend that against a big name. So I think that’ll be decided in the coming weeks.”
The current WBO rankings have Beterbiev at No. 1, but should Bivol pursue the trilogy then No. 2 Joshua Buatsi, whom Smith beat on points in a thriller last year, would likely be ordered.
“A great fight,” Hearn said of Smith-Buatsi II. “I mean the first fight was one of the fights of the year, so if that’s a defense that Callum Smith has to make, no problem at all, but we’ll see. I still like the Dmityi Bivol-Callum Smith fight if I’m honest, so we’ll have to see what unfolds.”