By Jim Calfa: The manager for WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, Vadim Kornilov, reports that he’s having difficulty finding an opponent to fight in his next title defense.
Staying at 175 is a dead-end road for Bivol because there’s literally no one for him to fight, and if he stays there, he’ll finish out his career facing no names in low-level contests that don’t interest boxing fans.
Moving down to 168 would seem to be the best option for Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) to make money and have more opportunities for compelling fights at 175.
If Bivol moves down in weight to 168, he would have these options available to him:
- Canelo Alvarez
- David Benavidez
- Demetrius Andrade
- Jermall Charlo
- Diego Pacheco
- David Morrell Jr.
- Caleb Plant
While some of those fighters would swerve Bivol, most probably Canelo, but not all of them, Bivol is now popular enough for guys like Plant, Morrell, Pacheco, and Andrade to fight him. Benavidez would likely avoid fighting Bivol, as he didn’t seem eager when Morrell called him out.
Bivol had hoped to face IBF, WBC & WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed championship. Beterbiev’s promoter isn’t interested, and the World Boxing Council won’t sanction it while the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues. Who knows how long that war could last?
175-lb contender Dan Azeez & Joshua Buatsi has shown no interest in fighting Bivol, and Canelo Alvarez, unsurprisingly, has passed on the option of a rematch. He obviously knows he has no chance of avenging his loss to Bivol after the way he was dominated a year ago.
If Bivol could beat one of these champions, he would instantly become one of the biggest names in boxing.
Bivol will likely be slightly weaker at 168 than he was at 175, but with his technical ability, he has enough talent to make up for that and dominate.
Getting a high rank and forcing a title shot at 168 against Canelo should be an easy thing for Bivol. It doesn’t matter if Canelo is unwilling to fight Bivol. If he becomes his mandatory, he’ll get a title shot, as long as he doesn’t go the WBC route.
As we’ve seen with Benavidez, it doesn’t help if you’re Canelo’s WBC mandatory. You’re still not going to get a title shot. Bivol would have to become Canelo’s mandatory for his IBF, WBA & WBO belts because those sanctioning bodies would enforce it.
If Bivol stays at 175, the best he can hope for are fights against these guys:
- Jean Pascal – rematch
- Anthony Yarde
- Lyndon Arthur
- Joe Smith Jr. – rematch
