WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol will be making his anticipated return to the ring this upcoming December.
The Russian will be defending his WBA belt against his fellow countryman Umar Salamov. The bout will be held in Ekaterinburg, Russia, on December 11.
Bivol, 30, hasn’t fought since May 2021 when he defeated Craig Richards via UD. This will be Bivol’s first homeland fight since 2017.
Salamov, 27, was scheduled to fight with Joe Smith Jr., the WBO light heavyweight champion, but the fight got cancelled due to Smith being tested positive for COVID-19. Instead of Salamov, the WBO ruler will be facing Callum Johnson in January.