He wasn't himself: Bivol delivers a disappointing performance

On May 30 in Yekaterinburg, a major professional boxing event took place, headlined by the reigning WBA, WBO, IBF, and The Ring light heavyweight champion, Dmitry Bivol. His opponent was Germany’s Michael Eifert, with all of Bivol’s titles except the WBO belt on the line.

Bivol entered the fight as a heavy favorite, while Eifert’s chances largely depended on how difficult he could make things inside the ring. Even before the bout was announced, promoter Eddie Hearn stated that following surgery, Bivol needed a less demanding opponent than Artur Beterbiev or David Benavidez. Dmitry himself admitted that training camp got off to a difficult start because of ongoing back issues.

The fight against Eifert began with an early knockdown, but Bivol neither pressed the action nor capitalized on his success. Meanwhile, the challenger recovered, settled into the fight, and overcame his initial nerves. Eifert then attempted to apply pressure and launch attacks, but everything he did was relatively straightforward and predictable. Bivol, for his part, took no unnecessary risks, doing only what was required to secure the rounds.

Dmitry was well below his usual standards. He looked slower than normal, less creative, and less sharp, and at times struggled to fully pin Eifert down. He showed virtually no aggression and little desire to search for a stoppage—something the 12,000 fans in attendance were clearly hoping to see. By the champion’s standards, especially considering his previous fight against Artur Beterbiev, it was a rather underwhelming performance.

That said, it was still more than enough for a dominant victory. The judges scored the contest 120-107, 120-107, and 120-107. Eifert was not awarded a single round—a complete shutout on the scorecards.

There could be several explanations for Bivol’s lackluster display. First, the layoff was lengthy, and Dmitry has rarely looked at his best immediately after a long absence. Some ring rust may still be present, and he may simply not have regained peak form yet. Second, the severity of his back injury remains unclear. Bivol has repeatedly stated that it is an issue he will likely deal with for the remainder of his career. Perhaps he was simply unwilling to take risks or place unnecessary strain on his body.

Whatever the reason, the champion’s return left mixed impressions. On one hand, it was a comfortable and convincing victory. On the other, the fight resembled a competitive sparring session in which the gap in skill was impossible to ignore. Given that disparity, it felt as though Bivol should have been able to finish the fight much sooner, yet the stoppage never came.

If this version of Dmitry shows up against an opponent of a higher caliber than Eifert—someone like David Benavidez or Artur Beterbiev—he could face serious difficulties.