Mandatory Defenses Could Derail Bivol’s Big Fight Plans

Dmitry Bivol could face serious obstacles on his path to major fights in the light heavyweight division due to mandatory title defenses.

The WBA, IBF, and WBO champion is first set to defend his IBF belt against Michael Eifert on May 30 in Yekaterinburg.

According to The Ring, immediately after that fight, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) is expected to enforce another mandatory defense. His likely opponent would be the winner of the bout between Callum Smith and David Morrell, scheduled for April 18.

This development could significantly complicate plans for blockbuster matchups, including a unification bout with WBC champion David Benavidez or a highly anticipated third fight with Artur Beterbiev.

Instead of a mega fight, Bivol may be forced to go through yet another mandatory challenge before facing the biggest names in the division.