WBA light heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol is looking to stage his next fight in October, as announced by his manager, Vadim Kornilov. Bivol, an undefeated titan in the ring with 21 wins, 11 of which are knockouts, is yet to find out who his opponent will be for this scheduled bout. His impressive career trajectory includes a decisive victory over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in May 2022, which marked Canelo's first defeat since 2013. The same year, Bivol dominated Gilberto Ramirez, yet another undefeated challenger, in a twelve-round showdown in Abu Dhabi.
However, the boxing landscape in 2023 has been fraught with financial disagreements and geopolitical concerns. Initially, Bivol was set to have a September rematch with Canelo, but the two parties failed to reach a consensus on financial terms. Canelo later announced a multi-fight deal with Premier Boxing Champions, scheduling a match with Jermell Charlo instead.
A potential fight with WBC, IBF, WBO champion Artur Beterbiev could be on the cards, but this plan is currently impeded by considerable hurdles. The World Boxing Council, led by President Mauricio Sulaiman, has shown reluctance to sanction such a fight due to Bivol's Russian origins. Amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the sanctioning body has decided to withhold approval for fights involving boxers from Russia or Belarus.
Despite these challenges, Bivol’s path to undisputed champion could see light if Beterbiev, also of Russian descent but a Canadian citizen, loses his upcoming mandatory defense to Callum Smith. Both Bivol and Smith share a professional relationship with Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, which could prove advantageous for Bivol’s ambitious aspirations. As uncertainties loom large, the boxing world keenly awaits Bivol's next move in his bid to cement his legacy.
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