Current IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring Light Heavyweight champion, Dmitry Bivol, will be out of action for the next few months after undergoing back surgery earlier this week. According the heavy-handed Russian bomber, the procedure was long overdue stemming from an injury he suffered more than one decade ago.
“Following my doctor’s advice, I underwent surgery for an old back injury that has bothered me for more than ten years and worsened with every training camp,” Bivol said on social media. “Everything went well and I already feel much better. A recovery period of six to eight weeks is ahead, after which I’ll be back in training.”
Just a few days before revealing his procedure, it was that his announced his long-time rival, Artur Beterbiev, was booked to face Deon Nicholson at the upcoming stacked event in Riyadh on Nov. 22, 2025, which will also feature David Benavidez and Devin Haney (more on that here).
Bivol and Beterbiev were eyeing a trilogy fight to break the tie after splitting their first two fights in Oct. 2024 and Feb. 2025, but that will now get buried further down the pipe because while Beterbiev is set to face Nicholson in a few months, Bivol was ordered to face Michael Eifert of Germany in a mandatory IBF title defense.
As a result of his surgery, Bivol has filed for an exemption with IBF to extend his time to reach a deal to face Eifert (13-1), possibly at the beginning of 2026.
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