Not too long ago, both David Benavidez and Dmitry Bivol strapped on their headgears, threw on some 16-ounce gloves, locked the gym doors, boarded up the windows, and waged an all-out sparring war. What happened behind those closed doors has remained a secret but Benavidez has admitted on countless occasions that a showdown between them is one that will eventually happen.
For Bivol, he’s remained locked in on becoming an undisputed champion at 175. But while getting more gold is the current target, Bivol acknowledges that a matchup against Benavidez would give the fans something to cheer for.
“It would be a great fight, why not?” said Bivol to BoxingScene.com.
Benavidez, 26, is still enjoying the high associated with the biggest win of his career. In his lone appearance of the year thus far, Benavidez scored a close but clear unanimous decision victory against Caleb Plant.
For Bivol, he finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Although he’s proudly held and defended his WBA light heavyweight title, the 32-year-old wants the opportunity to aggregate even more championship hardware.
After being unable to reach a deal for a September rematch with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, Bivol’s immediate backup plan would involve a full light heavyweight unification bout with fellow champion, Artur Beterbiev.
Unfortunately for Bivol, the WBC sanctioning body has placed a gigantic wedge between both parties. According to Mauricio Sulaiman, the WBC’s current president, due to Bivol’s Russian descent, he refuses to sanction their clash as an undisputed one – until the war between Russia and Ukraine has concluded. Sulaiman’s decision, however, has come across as flummoxing. Considering that Beterbiev is also a native of Russia, his refusal to allow the WBC’s involvement is incredibly confusing.
Benavidez, while a great fighter in his own right, doesn’t bring the requisite parts that Bivol desires to the dance floor. Although he doesn’t rule out a future showdown, for now, the 32-year-old would much rather focus on his championship desires.
“My goal is to fight for belts,” Bivol said.
Bivol will have to wait for the outcome of Beterbiev’s upcoming mandatory defense against Callum Smith in August.