Light heavyweight titan Dmitry Bivol is on the mend and gearing up for a highly anticipated return to the ring following back surgery last August. The boxing world has been eagerly awaiting updates on Bivol’s condition since his monumental victory over Artur Beterbiev, which crowned him the undisputed champion. However, Bivol vacated his WBC title to pursue a trilogy fight with Beterbiev, a matchup that ultimately did not materialize due to his medical procedure.
According to Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, the champion is targeting a return to training in February. Kornilov shared, “Dmitry is planning to start training in February. Hopefully, he feels good and we can return starting with the IBF mandatory in due time.” Kornilov also noted that while Bivol has begun light training, it’s too early to determine if his back is fully healed. “It’s hard to say right now whether his back is 100 percent. He has just started moving around and hitting the heavy bag lightly in the recent week or so,” Kornilov added.
Bivol’s 2025 campaign was marked by both triumph and frustration. Despite only stepping into the ring once, his victory over Beterbiev was a career-defining moment, securing him the status of undisputed champion at light heavyweight. However, his reign was short-lived as he vacated his WBC title, paving the way for David Benavidez to claim the full championship status.
Looking ahead, Bivol’s most probable next step is an IBF title defense against the long-awaited mandatory challenger, Michael Eifert. Kornilov confirmed that Bivol received a medical exemption to delay this mandatory defense. While a potential showdown with Benavidez seems unlikely, as Benavidez is eyeing a cruiserweight bout with Gilberto Ramirez, Bivol’s team is focused on a timely return. “We are very time-sensitive with the IBF,” Kornilov stated. “I am hoping that if all goes by plan, we can be ready to fight by April.”
Eifert, who has been inactive since August 2024, became the mandatory challenger in March 2023 and agreed to step aside to allow the Beterbiev-Bivol rematch to be for all the belts. It is widely expected that Bivol will overcome Eifert and move on to a more significant fight by the end of 2026. Team Bivol remains open to various possibilities, including a potential trilogy with Beterbiev. “We will consider the biggest opportunity, of course,” Kornilov said. “If there is still interest in the third fight, we would definitely embrace the opportunity if it makes sense for everybody.”
As the boxing community eagerly awaits Bivol’s return, all eyes will be on his progress and the exciting matchups that lie ahead.
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