By: Sean Crose
“I’ve just received a very stiff and detached message from Dmitry Bivol’s lawyer, Patrick English,” World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman announced on social media this past Monday. “The points he made were so far-fetched that I’d rather not even go into them. Essentially, Bivol has decided to step away from his WBC light heavyweight championship. We wish him all the best and hereby name David Benavidez as the new WBC world light heavyweight champion.” And just like that, the title of undisputed light heavyweight champion is up for grabs again. Bivol found himself at a crossroads recently, faced with the decision to either engage in a third bout against his arch-nemesis Artur Beterbiev, or to take on the fearsome David Benavidez.
Bivol opted for the former—choosing to revisit the ring with Beterbiev, despite the WBC’s insistence on a match with Benavidez. This decision prompted the WBC to strip him of his title. Both Bivol and Beterbiev have exchanged wins, each outdoing the other once in two intensely competitive matchups. Benavidez, meanwhile, stands as a formidable challenger eager to meet a top-tier opponent. Having inherited Bivol’s WBC title, he now carries the belt but is yet to prove himself against elite opposition.
In an enlightening quote shared by MSM, Benavidez’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, remarked, “The third Bivol-Beterbiev fight promises to be another spectacle. Their previous encounters were thrilling, but they didn’t quite captivate the American audience, selling only 45,000 tickets. A Bivol-Benavidez showdown in America, however, would draw much larger crowds.” While Lewkowicz might have a point, Bivol is clearly focused on wrapping up his saga with Beterbiev. Opting for another go with Beterbiev, instead of facing Benavidez, is a curious move on Bivol’s part, especially considering that Benavidez will likely be waiting to challenge the victor.
“He walked away from the title because he’s set on fighting Beterbiev again,” Lewkowicz explained. “Everyone should be aware: We’re ready to offer the winner a shot to reclaim the WBC title anytime. We’re just a phone call away to set this fight up.” In this situation, there’s really no wrong choice for Bivol. As long as Benavidez eventually gets his shot at the winner, boxing fans will likely be satisfied. And surely, so will Beterbiev, who has waited patiently for his moment in the spotlight.
