Dmitry Bivol got his dream. The 34-year-old Russian boxer beat Artur Beterbiev in a rematch to become the undisputed light-heavyweight champion.
The big fight went down on February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Bivol won after twelve rounds, taking home the WBA, WBO, IBF, and WBC belts. The match was a nail-biter, with both fighters giving it their all.
But the story didn't end there. Bivol decided to give up the WBC crown. This move made David Benavidez the new WBC light-heavyweight champ. Benavidez, who's never lost a fight, is now getting ready to defend his title for the first time. He might face off against Callum Smith, a former super-middleweight champion who recently won the WBO 'Interim' title at 175lbs.
As for Bivol, he's not done with Beterbiev yet. They're looking to set up a third fight later this year, with the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles on the line.
Now, here's where things get interesting. Peter Berg, a film director who co-founded the Matchroom Churchill Boxing Gym, stirred up some controversy. On The Joe Rogan Experience, he claimed Bivol dropped Benavidez with a jab during a sparring session. But then he had to take it back.
"I have to retract something that I said because I was wrong. I said Bivol dropped Benavidez at Churchill Boxing Club with a jab, I remembered it wrong, it was Benavidez that dropped Bivol."
Berg went on to explain:
"I don't know why I remembered it wrong but I did, and I suspected actually when I was saying it that I was wrong, but it was Benavidez that dropped Bivol, straight up, with an incredible jab."
This mix-up adds an extra layer of intrigue to the light-heavyweight division. With Bivol at the top, Benavidez holding the WBC belt, and Beterbiev looking for a comeback, boxing fans have got a lot to look forward to in the coming months.
