Artur Beterbiev posted on Instagram today, revealing the reason his third clash with unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol has failed to materialize.
Bivol ‘Retreats’ from Third Fight
The former undisputed 175-lb champion Bivol chose to “retreat” because he wanted to “rest”, and he’s not going to sit and wait for him.
Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) states that they had been “offered great conditions” for the trilogy match that were “almost impossible to refuse.” He says he was on board with the fight, but Bivol didn’t want it. As such, Artur is moving on and will fight Deon Nicholson on November 22nd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Beterbiev’s Path to Benavidez?
It’s a rare undercard assignment for Beterbiev, but there’s a possibility that he could face WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez in the first quarter of 2026. Turki Alalshikh’s inclusion of Beterbiev on The Ring IV card on November 22nd is the ideal setup to create fan interest in a Beterbiev-Benavidez clash for early next year.
Benavidez is headlining the card against Anthony Yarde. Having Beterbiev on the undercard will allow fans to see them both in action. If Beterbiev enters the ring after ‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez’s fight against Yarde, they can begin an early promotion for their fight.
Beterbiev Reveals Bivol’s ‘Rest’
“Our next fight was supposed to take place in Russia. You know what we’re talking about now—the third fight with Dmitry Bivol. We were offered great conditions, which were almost impossible to refuse. For my part, I did everything to make the third fight happen, but my opponent chose the path of retreat again,” said Artur Beterbiev on Instagram about why his trilogy match with Bivol has failed to happen.
“I’ve waited long enough, and I don’t intend to wait any longer. Sitting around doing nothing while someone else is resting too much. See you on November 22 in Riyadh. I’m continuing my journey, no matter what,” said Beterbiev.
Last Updated on 08/07/2025
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