It wasn’t long ago that Bivol was regarded as little more than a curiosity, a technical wiz feasting on his division’s gatekeepers and has-beens. But over the past three-plus years, he has handed Gilberto Ramirez his first loss, humbled Canelo Alvarez and then avenged his first pro defeat by outclassing Beterbiev in their rematch. After undergoing surgery to remove a herniated disc (and, some would say, dragging his feet), Bivol is finally moving back toward the ring again: His defense against mandatory Michael Eifert has been officially scheduled for May 30 at UMMC Arena, Yekaterinburg, Russia.
