The boxing world is abuzz with talk that Dmitry Bivol and David Benavidez could be on the verge of finalizing a deal for a massive showdown later this year. According to a report from ESPN Knockout’s Julius Julianus, negotiations have intensified, targeting a possible summer date. Should it materialize, the fight would pit Bivol – the undisputed light heavyweight champion – against Benavidez, who holds the WBC interim title and has been viewed by many as one of boxing’s most formidable rising stars.
Sampson Lewkowicz, who promotes Benavidez, said he was caught off guard by the news, telling that he’d just sent a “very large offer” to Bivol’s lawyer on Thursday night, and was awaiting a response. He notes the proposal, approved by Premier Boxing Champions, suggested a September clash, but he remains open to other scheduling windows if Bivol’s team prefers. The move came shortly after the World Boxing Council ordered the two to meet, thanks to Benavidez’s destructive performance over David Morrell Jr. and Bivol’s conquest of Artur Beterbiev, which avenged his only career loss.
Watch Bivol vs. Beterbiev 2 highlights: Watch
However, not everyone is on board. Turki Alalshikh, head of Riyadh Season and host to Bivol’s past four bouts in Saudi Arabia, announced he is “no longer interested in Bivol-Benavidez” and won’t bid on the fight. He’d previously expressed interest in a Bivol-Beterbiev trilogy, suggesting that’s the path he’d like to steer the newly crowned undisputed champ. But with Lewkowicz pursuing a deal, it seems there may be more than one possible direction for Bivol, who, for the moment, must balance staying on good terms with Alalshikh against the WBC’s order to face Benavidez.
Should Bivol and Benavidez sign on the dotted line, it could be among the biggest matchups in the second half of 2025, giving fans the best-versus-best scenario that’s often too elusive in the sport.
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