Bivol Faces Losing WBO Belt Over 2026 Plans

Dmitry Bivol could lose his WBO light heavyweight title if he ignores the order to face the winner of Callum Smith vs David Morrell
Bivol's preferred plan is a trilogy with Artur Beterbiev in the second half of 2026, with a Canelo Alvarez rematch also on the wish list
Champion returns May 30 to face mandatory challenger Michael Eifert at UGMK Arena in Russia before the real decisions start

The Politics Are Lining Up Against Him

Right then, sanctioning body nonsense is back on the menu, and this time it's Dmitry Bivol in the crosshairs. The unified light heavyweight champion is being told, in not so many words, that if he doesn't take the fight the WBO wants him to take, he's going to have a belt fewer by Christmas. Make no mistake, this is serious. Bivol has already vacated the WBC title, which handed David Benavidez the full green-and-gold strap without a unification. He still holds the WBA, IBF and WBO. The WBO is now the one under threat, because the organisation reportedly wants him to face the winner of Callum Smith vs David Morrell instead of the fights Bivol actually wants.

What Bivol Actually Wants

Let's be honest — Bivol's wish list makes perfect sense for his legacy. His manager has publicly laid it out: a third fight with Artur Beterbiev to settle the trilogy 2-1 either way, a potential rematch with Canelo Alvarez at 168 or a catchweight, and ideally a crack at David Benavidez if the money is right. Those are legacy fights. Those are pay-per-view fights. They're also exactly the kind of fights the sanctioning bodies hate, because they involve two A-side stars and force the champion to either vacate, ignore mandatories, or face being stripped. The WBO has decided to draw its line here.

Eifert First, Then The Real Drama

Before any of this matters, Bivol has to get through Michael Eifert on May 30 at the UGMK Arena in Russia. That's his IBF mandatory. It's also, respectfully, the kind of fight Bivol should win comfortably — Eifert is a proper operator at European level, but Bivol is levels above him. Anything other than a wide points win or late stoppage would be a massive shock. The real drama starts the day after. Because the moment that fight is in the books, Bivol has to choose. Does he lock in Beterbiev 3, which the boxing public wants, which his camp wants, and which gives him the biggest payday? Or does he take the WBO-ordered fight against Smith or Morrell — decent fights, yes, but not the career-defining nights Beterbiev or Canelo represent?

Why The WBO Is Wrong Here

Let me be clear. I get the sanctioning bodies' logic on mandatories — contenders work their whole careers for a title shot, and champions shouldn't duck them. But you have to apply a bit of common sense in situations like this. Bivol is already defending against the IBF mandatory. He has already vacated one belt to protect his schedule. Forcing him into another mandatory when there is a genuine trilogy fight sitting there with Beterbiev — one of the biggest fights light heavyweight boxing has seen in a generation — is the governing body choosing politics over the sport. Beterbiev 3 is announce-yourself-on-the-world-stage stuff. Callum Smith has had his moments, and David Morrell is class going forward, but neither fight has the weight of a trilogy decider against an all-time great. The WBO should step aside, sanction Beterbiev 3, and come back for the mandatory after.

My Prediction

Here's what I think actually happens. Bivol beats Eifert comfortably at the end of May. Then he takes the Beterbiev trilogy for November or December, either in Saudi Arabia or at a neutral venue, and in doing so he vacates the WBO. It's a shame but it's the right call. His legacy lives in the biggest fights, not in the sanctioning body's filing cabinet. Callum Smith or David Morrell then picks up a vacated belt in an elimination fight, which isn't quite the same as taking it from the man, but it keeps the division moving. And Bivol, once the trilogy is settled, rebuilds his belt collection all over again — probably with another unification against whoever emerges from the 175-pound chaos in 2027. Sometimes you have to burn a belt to chase the legacy. Bivol is in that moment right now, and I reckon he takes the hit.