Eddie Hearn, head of Matchroom Boxing and manager of undisputed light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, has commented on the World Boxing Council's (WBC) decision to mandate a title defense for the Russian against David Benavidez.
Eddie Hearn for YouTube channel FightHype
It’s never been happening, it’s never been close. There’s never been any conversations, but it’s a great fight and we don’t rule it out. Ultimately, His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] has given us four fights around the world, particularly in Saudi Arabia and great opportunities. Whatever he says is next, we will do. If he wants us to fight Benavidez, we’ll fight Benavidez. My gut feeling is he’ll want to make the trilogy [with Artur Beterbiev]. So, we’ll see.
To recap, in February 2025, Bivol had a rematch with Artur Beterbiev, which ended in a majority decision victory for Dmitry. Their first encounter, held in October 2024, saw Beterbiev win by majority decision. Bivol's record stands at 24 wins (12 by knockout) and one loss, while Beterbiev has 21 wins (20 by knockout) and one loss.
