Bivol, a 35-year-old from Kyrgyzstan, whose family moved to Russia when he was 11, has not fought anywhere in the world since his February 2025 majority decision win over Artur Beterbiev in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Bivol became the undisputed 175lbs champ with the win, and also regained the WBA title he held for nearly seven years prior to his narrow defeat to Beterbiev in October 2024, also in Riyadh.
