Dmitry Bivol’s Three-Fight Plan

Unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol’s (24-1, 12 KOs) future fight plans have been speculated by his team.

Bivol’s first task is defending his IBF title against long-time mandatory challenger Michael Eifert (13-1, 5 KOs). After months of postponements due to Bivol’s back surgery, terms were finalized this week to avoid a purse bid. The bout will take place in Cairo, Egypt, as the co-main event to Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven. This marks Bivol’s first fight in 15 months, having last competed in February 2025 when he defeated Artur Beterbiev in their rematch.

Once the mandatory hurdle is cleared, Bivol will focus on a third and final fight with Artur Beterbiev. The rivalry is currently tied at 1-1. Beterbiev took a controversial majority decision in October 2024, which Bivol avenged with his own majority decision victory in February 2025. Should Bivol emerge victorious from the Beterbiev trilogy, his camp has identified a fight with WBC light-heavyweight champion David Benavidez in an undisputed clash or a rematch with Canelo Alvarez, who he beat by unanimous decision in 2022, although that fight has little chance of happening.