Dmitry Bivol rose to the pinnacle of the light-heavyweight division earlier this year.
The Russian star avenged the defeat that he suffered to Artur Beterbiev last October to become the undisputed champion at 175lbs in their rematch on February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
It is now being speculated that the 34-year-old will lock horns with Beterbiev in a trilogy bout next, with a third fight expected to take place before the end of the year.
Bivol will defend his unified WBA, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight titles against his countryman after he opted to relinquish his WBC crown instead of facing mandatory challenger David Benavidez.
‘The Monster’ had held the WBC ‘Interim’ title at 175lbs prior to being declared full champion in April, having defeated Ukraine’s Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his light-heavyweight debut last summer.
Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience, movie director Peter Berg, who worked with Eddie Hearn to open the Matchroom Churchill Boxing Gym, shared details of how Benavidez reportedly dropped Bivol during a past sparring session.
“I have to retract something that I said because I was wrong. I said Bivol dropped Benavidez at Churchill Boxing Club with a jab, I remembered it wrong, it was Benavidez that dropped Bivol.
I don’t know why I remembered it wrong but I did, and I suspected actually when I was saying it that I was wrong, but it was Benavidez that dropped Bivol, straight up, with an incredible jab.”
‘The Mexican Monster’ will make the maiden defence of his WBC title later this year, with rumours circulating that the 28-year-old will face Britain’s Callum Smith in Dallas or Las Vegas.
