Two years on from their initial undisputed title clash, fans were expecting to see Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev collide in a trilogy showdown, with the score tied at 1-1. However, it has now been revealed that no offer has been made for that bout, with Bivol instead moving on to a scrap with his next mandatory challenger.
Beterbiev trumped Bivol and handed him a first career defeat in their iconic October 2024 meeting. Four months later, Bivol got his vengeance and became undisputed champion.
Beterbiev has not fought since – currently on an ongoing 19-month stretch of inactivity – whilst Bivol, who vacated the WBC belt, returned to action in May and defended his three remaining world titles against Michael Eifert in Russia.
Now, despite demands for a third fight with Beterbiev, Bivol is set to face WBO mandatory challenger Callum Smith on December 12, with promoter Eddie Hearn telling ProBox TV that no offer was made for the trilogy, despite the claims of IBA President Umar Kremlev.
“It [the trilogy with Beterbiev] was never offered. By the way, if there was an offer that was even remotely reasonable, the Callum Smith fight would not be happening. Dmitry would have vacated and fought Beterbiev, but that is not the case because Callum’s shot is long overdue and that is a great fight.
“Bivol will fight Callum Smith, it will be announced soon and it will be December in Russia, December 12th, the same night as something else that we were trying to move, unfortunately.
“We will see who wins that fight and I think that the winner will fight [David] Benavidez or Beterbiev.”
Smith hasn’t fought since his appearance on the Beterbiev-Bivol II undercard, but the former WBA super-middleweight world champion impressed in that contest, getting the better of Joshua Buatsi in a fight of the year contender.
