The War Before the Bell
Beterbiev’s toughest battles lately haven’t been against opponents. They have been against the grind of the gym. His recent history is a checklist of training setbacks, from knee surgery to rib and shoulder issues. Those patterns carry a lot of weight when you are past 40. There are no reports of a fresh injury, but that isn’t the point. The workload itself is the enemy.
Beterbiev doesn’t do “easy” camps. His game is built on strength and relentless repetition, which means months of brutal preparation. At this stage, shortcuts or late adjustments aren’t an option. Every week in the gym is a gamble.
The trilogy with Bivol is still the goal, but Beterbiev is a passenger in that deal. Bivol is currently rehabbing from back surgery and has to handle an IBF mandatory against Michael Eifert first. That road likely pushes a third fight into late 2026. Then there is David Benavidez.
While that is a massive name, Benavidez is eyeing a jump to cruiserweight to face Zurdo Ramirez in May. If he eventually circles back to Beterbiev, it means the 41 year old has to survive a grueling build up against a younger, high volume engine. There is no low stress path back. The names change, but the physical toll does not.
Beterbiev has been a free agent since mid 2025. On paper, that gives him freedom. In reality, the clock is the one in charge. Every month without a fight makes the next camp harder and the margin for error thinner.
When he finally does return, the talk will be about his power and his place in the division. But the real answer will have been decided in private, long before the lights come on. The question isn’t what he has left in his hands. It is whether his body could get him to the ring at all.
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