and light heavyweight. Neither division has boasted a fully undisputed king in 25 and 22 years, respectively. If not for a Beterbiev injury that delayed the original June 1 date, those voids would have been filled within a two-week span. Oleksandr Usyk joined Holyfield as the only two fighters in history to claim undisputed championship status at both cruiserweight and heavyweight. His rematch with Tyson Fury will take place on December 21 because the first fight was that good, that close and that relevant. Most importantly, it will take place because both fighters and the event handlers wanted it bad enough. The same is true for Beterbiev-Bivol. For Beterbiev, it’s a failsafe to avoid a meaningless IBF mandatory title defense versus Michael Eifert (13-1, 5 KOs). The Ring has confirmed that Beterbiev – who is promoted by Top Rank – can file for a one-time exception, which would then be
Beterbiev will be 40 in January. His career has been slowed by injuries, including one that caused a four-month delay of this very fight, which was already seven years in the making. Bivol has the advantage in that category; he will turn 34 on December 18, three days before Usyk-Fury II. He also has the support of the sport’s most influential figure. “This was one of the great fights of the last 20 years, I think," Alalshikh said after the fight. “But I don’t think the result was fair, in my opinion. The two fighters are like my brothers, but I think Bivol won two rounds more. “I will focus and I will try to do the rematch. If they accept, we will do it.” Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow @JakeNDaBox.
Beterbiev won’t have much time to celebrate holding all the light heavyweight titles if Bivol gets his way.
reviewed by the IBF Board of Governors. Such measures are normally taken when fighters want to unify in lieu of an ordered, lower-profile affair. There is nothing left to unify at light heavyweight, but Bivol remains the only relevant option for Beterbiev. Hopefully the IBF realizes this fact. Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum has told reporters that he believes both fighters will first take separate bouts. Such a course, he believes, would put the second act in play by October 2025. The group that would fund the fight wants to stick to its original plan of an immediate rematch and striking while the iron is hot. Age is also a factor.
75
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator