A third fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol may take place in Russia rather than Saudi Arabia, according to reporter Sean Zittel, who says sources close to the situation believe plans are moving in that direction.
Zittel discussed the situation after Bivol’s unanimous decision victory over Michael Eifert on Saturday, saying multiple people familiar with ongoing talks expect a trilogy fight between Beterbiev and Bivol to be funded and staged in Russia rather than through Turki Alalshikh.
“Betterbiev and Bivol will likely push through with a trilogy in Russia without Turki’s involvement, without Saudi funding. That’ll be done by Umar Kremlev and the Russian boxing federation that runs IBA,” said Zittel. “That is what is likely to be pushed through, is Beterbiev-Bivol 3 in Russia next.”
The reported development emerged during a broader discussion about David Benavidez’s future and why his team has been exploring alternative options at both light heavyweight and cruiserweight.
According to Zittel, Team Benavidez believes Bivol remains its preferred target. However, if Bivol and Beterbiev move forward with a third fight, that path could be closed off for the remainder of the year.
Zittel also said Jose Benavidez Sr. petitioned the WBC to make David Benavidez the mandatory challenger for cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian, giving his son another title route if the major light heavyweight fights remain unavailable.
“Their number one and two options are Bivol for the title and then Beterbiev if they can’t get Bivol. But if they’re fighting each other, then you move on to cruiserweight for the WBC belt,” Zittel said while recounting discussions with Jose Benavidez Sr.
Neither Beterbiev nor Bivol has officially announced plans for a trilogy bout. The two rivals split their previous meetings, with Beterbiev winning the first fight before Bivol gained revenge in their rematch.
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Last Updated on 2026/05/31 at 10:21 PM
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