The panorama of the light heavyweight division continues to register movements of great relevance after the last mandatory defenses of its world championships.
The promoter of the Matchroom Boxing company, Eddie Hearn, categorically denied speculation that suggested that Dmitry Bivol's team intended to avoid a third fight against his compatriot Artur Beterbiev to define the supremacy of the 175 pounds.
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The origin of rivalry and parity in the series
The series of matches between both Russian boxers is tied after two battles held in Saudi Arabia. Beterbiev claimed the first victory by majority decision in October 2024, a result that Dmitry Bivol managed to avenge under the same scorecard route in February 2025 to consolidate his position in the division.
After that second commitment, a period of inactivity of more than a year forced the boxer to renounce the World Boxing Council belt.
However, in his return to the ring last May, Dmitry Bivol showed that he keeps his physical capabilities intact by fulfilling his mandatory defense of the International Boxing Federation after beating the German Michael Eifert by unanimous decision.
Eddie Hearn's statements deny speculation
Given the reports that the boxer would avoid closing the trilogy for fear of an adverse result, his promotion team clarified that this fight is the absolute priority of the camp. During an interview with the specialized channel FightHype, promoter Eddie Hearn described the rumors as having no real basis in the negotiations.
“There are many people who say: ‘Bivol does not want to fight Beterbiev.’ That is not true at all,” declared the Matchroom Boxing manager to clear up the doubts of the press. In the same space, he elaborated on the intentions of his client: "Dmitry Bivol wants the trilogy. That is the battle he is looking for. We will start those conversations and see what happens."
The Regulatory Landscape and Medical Planning
The projections to agree on the third confrontation must be coordinated with the athlete's recovery times, since he is scheduled to undergo reconstructive surgery on his elbow at the end of this month.
This medical situation would postpone unification, allowing other contenders in the ranking to define their own challenges in the sanctioning organizations.
The promoter explained that the World Boxing Organization (WBO) crown could remain vacant if the negotiating tables prioritize the fight against Beterbiev over the mandatory defense against Callum Smith.
If this route is taken, Smith would contest the vacant belt against Joshua Buatsi, facilitating Dmitry Bivol's return to activity at the end of the year directly for the WBA and IBF championships in the trilogy.
