There’s no doubt that the boxing world recently witnessed one of the greatest and most closely contested title fights with Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol. Given that many fans were unhappy with the results of the fight, which favored Bivol, a rematch between the two is a must. However, Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2 now appears to be at risk since the IBF has ordered Beterbiev to make a mandatory title defense.
Recently, Bivol has appealed to the four sanctioning bodies (WBO, WBA, IBF, and WBC) to back an immediate rematch. Shortly after the appeal, the IBF officially ordered Beterbiev to start negotiations with his mandatory challenger, German boxer Michael Eifert.
In light of this order, the boxing community has criticized the IBF, arguing that it needs to update its outdated rules. With an undisputed champion in place, many believe there should be two eliminators to determine the mandatory challenger.
However, there is also good news, given the IBF mentioned that Beterbiev can still request an “exception” for a voluntary fight, and they might consider it. This opens the door for fans to possibly see a rematch between him and Bivol.
Artur Beterbiev Can Follow Usyk’s Path To Secure Rematch With Dmitry Bivol
This isn’t the first time the IBF has caused this kind of chaos. It’s similar to when Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury to claim all the heavyweight titles in May and was set for a rematch. Subsequently, the IBF ordered Usyk to defend his title against his mandatory challenger. After Usyk vacated the title, Daniel Dubois became the full champion. Meanwhile, Fury and Usyk will rematch on December 21, but they won’t compete for the undisputed title.
Similarly, Beterbiev could choose to vacate his title and then pursue a fight against Bivol or another opponent of his choice. Vacating the title frees him from the IBF’s mandatory obligations, allowing him to pursue a more lucrative fight. However, he also has the option to request an exception from the IBF. If they grant it, he wouldn’t need to vacate his title and could still fight his chosen opponent.
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Also Read: How Much Money Did Artur Beterbiev Make By Defeating Dmitry Bivol Tonight?
