Undisputed light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, says they will fight whoever Turki Alalshikh wants him to next. So, if that’s WBC mandatory David Benavidez, they’ll take that fight next.
Benavidez or Beterbiev? However, if it’s the trilogy with Artur Beterbiev, Hearn says they’ll take that fight and sacrifice the WBC belt if they cannot keep it. He thinks Turki will choose to go in the direction of the trilogy match between Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs).
“We had an offer from Sampson Boxing [for David Benavidez] to fight Dmitry Bivol. The reality is this. Turki Alalshikh had given Dmitry Bivol four fights,” said promoter Eddie Hearn to the media when asked about the possibility of David Benavidez challenging Dmitry Bivol next for his undisputed light heavyweight championship.
Hearn might not want to admit it, but he would likely be displeased if Turki Alalshikh chooses to have Bivol defend his four belts against David Benavidez next rather than go in the direction of the undisputed championship with Artur Beterbiev.
Bivol matches up a lot better against the slow-footed, low punch output, 40-year-old Beterbiev than he does against Benavidez. Everything that worked for Bivol against Artur in their two fights wouldn’t be effective against Benavidez, and Hearn knows that.
“He [Turki] gave him, most importantly, the fight against Beterbiev for undisputed [on October 12, 2024]. After that, which we thought was a poor decision, he gave him [Bivol] the rematch four months later on February 22nd.] So, we are doing whatever His Excellency wants us to do for the next fight.
“I would expect that to be because of how we dealt with Bivol-Beterbiev 1. I would expect that to be the trilogy fight. If His Excellency turns around and says, ‘I want you to fight David Benavidez,’ no problem. But we want to keep hold of all the belts, but if we have to lose one to follow His Excellency’s plan for Dmitry Bivol, no problem as well,” said Hearn.
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