Dmitry Bivol vacates WBC title, David Benavidez fight to pursue Artur Beterbiev trilogy
(Mark Robinson via Getty Images)
Dmitry Bivol's undisputed title run lasted a mere 44 days.
Bivol, Uncrowned's No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, informed the WBC on Monday afternoon that he will be vacating its version of the light heavyweight title that he won in his brilliant rematch with Artur Beterbiev in February.
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A March 5 ruling from the sanctioning body officially ordered Bivol to defend his championship against WBC interim champion David Benavidez next. With no deal reached, the WBC ordered an April 8 purse bid for Bivol vs. Benavidez, which Bivol has now withdrawn from less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to take place.
According to veteran boxing journalist Dan Rafael, Bivol informed the WBC that he vacated the championship because he is committed to a trilogy fight against Beterbiev, which could take place in October for the opening of Riyadh Season 2025-26.
Beterbiev won a contentious majority decision over Bivol in their first meeting this past October to claim the undisputed crown. The pair rematched in the main event of "The Last Crescendo" show — labeled by some as the greatest boxing card of all time — organized by Turki Alalshikh's Riyadh Season in February.
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On that occasion, Bivol saw his hand raised by majority decision to capture all four 175-pound belts. With the pair sharing one win apiece, a third meeting with Beterbiev is viewed as a natural next step for Bivol.
Bivol remains the WBA, IBF and WBO champion. Benavidez is expected to be elevated to full WBC light heavyweight world champion and make the first defense of his crown in the summer.
Although a Bivol vs. Benavidez fight won't take place next, Benavidez's promoter Sampson Lewkowicz is happy to re-explore the matchup should Bivol emerge victorious in his trilogy with Beterbiev.
"We will give the [Bivol vs. Beterbiev 3] winner the opportunity to get the WBC title back at any time," Lewkowicz told Rafael. "We are one phone call away to make this fight happen."
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