Dmitry Bivol poses with the WBC title that no longer belongs to him. (Mark Robinson/Getty Images)
(Mark Robinson via Getty Images)
Dmitry Bivol’s undisputed title run lasted a mere 44 days.
Bivol, Uncrowned’s No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, informed the WBC on Monday afternoon that he will be vacating its version of the light heavyweight title that he won in his brilliant rematch with Artur Beterbiev in February.
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A March 5 ruling from the sanctioning body officially ordered Bivol to defend his championship against WBC interim champion David Benavidez next. With no deal reached, the WBC ordered an April 8 purse bid for Bivol vs. Benavidez, which Bivol has now withdrawn from less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to take place.
According to veteran boxing journalist Dan Rafael, Bivol informed the WBC that he vacated the championship because he is committed to a trilogy fight against Beterbiev, which could take place in October for the opening of Riyadh Season 2025-26.
Beterbiev won a contentious majority decision over Bivol in their first meeting this past October to claim the undisputed crown. The pair rematched in the main event of “The Last Crescendo” show — labeled by some as the greatest boxing card of all time — organized by Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season in February.
