WBA light-heavyweight world champion, Dmitry Bivol, has been away from the ring for almost a year now, but reports suggest that a return is imminent and that it could potentially land on one of the most high-profile remaining cards of 2023.
Bivol won the Ring Magazine 2022 Fighter of the Year award for both his upset victory over pound-for-pound superstar, Saul Canelo Alvarez, and his comfortable title defence against then 44-0 Mexican, Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, in Abu Dhabi.
Since then Bivol has been denied a rematch with Canelo down at super-middleweight, as well as the chance to challenge Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed cruiserweight crown. An injury has also added to his quiet 2023.
The Russian’s attention is firmly on Beterbiev’s upcoming showdown with Callum Smith that was pushed back from August to January due to a bone infection endured by the WBC, WBO & IBF Champion.
Eddie Hearn has now confirmed his intentions of getting Bivol a fight before the end of the year, with the 32-year-old poised for a December outing on either the 2nd or the 9th, via International Boxing News.
“There are talks about him possibly fighting on the Haney show, but we’re in talks with DAZN. December 2nd was potentially a US that will probably become a UK day now. I don’t know how that will sit with Dmitry Bivol, but he needs to fight and is ready to fight.”
It was also reported that there were ongoing talks for Bivol to face Lyndon Arthur in a voluntary defence of his WBA title, which could possibly take place on the UK show that Hearn has alluded to.