Eddie Hearn says Dmitry Bivol has no interest in avoiding a third fight with Artur Beterbiev, dismissing recent speculation that the former undisputed light heavyweight champion is trying to steer clear of the trilogy.
Instead, Hearn says Bivol’s priority remains settling the rivalry with Beterbiev, with the rest of the division continuing to move forward around them.
“There’s a lot of people saying, ‘Bivol doesn’t want to fight Beterbiev.’ That’s not true at all,” Hearn told Fighthype. “Dmitry wants the trilogy. That’s the fight he wants. We’ll start those conversations and see what happens.”
Hearn’s comments follow questions about Bivol’s next move after his recovery from elbow surgery. The trilogy remains Bivol’s preferred destination. The WBO has ordered him to defend against Callum Smith, creating uncertainty over the title picture if the Beterbiev fight cannot be finalized immediately.
Bivol relinquished the WBC light heavyweight title on April 7, 2025, after choosing the Beterbiev trilogy over a mandatory defense against David Benavidez.
Hearn believes Smith will stay active instead of waiting indefinitely.
“I think Callum Smith will probably end up boxing Joshua Buatsi for the vacant world title if that’s the route it goes,” Hearn said. “We’ll see how everything plays out, but Dmitry wants the Beterbiev fight.”
A Bivol-Beterbiev trilogy would complete one of boxing’s best recent rivalries after the two split their first two meetings. If the trilogy cannot be finalized, Smith and Buatsi could meet for the vacant WBO world title while Bivol continues pursuing Beterbiev.
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Last Updated on 2026/07/19 at 1:35 PM
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