Dmitry Bivol, the unified light heavyweight champion, is taking a break from the ring. He's recovering from back surgery and won't fight for the rest of 2025.
Bivol, who holds the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles, has been dealing with a back problem for over 10 years. The injury got worse with each training camp, so he decided to have surgery. The operation went well, and he's already feeling better.
The champ plans to start training again in 6 to 8 weeks. He's aiming to return to the ring in 2026. To keep his unified status, Bivol has asked the IBF for a medical exception. He wants to avoid a mandatory title defense against Michael Eifert, the IBF's top contender.
Bivol was supposed to fight Eifert on July 1, but they couldn't agree on terms. The IBF was ready to start a purse bid when Bivol had his surgery.
In his last fight, Bivol beat Artur Beterbiev by majority decision in February 2023. After that, he gave up his WBC title to focus on his IBF and WBA belts.
Eifert earned his top ranking by beating Jean Pascal in March 2023. He's been waiting for his title shot for a while. The IBF might set up interim title fights while Bivol recovers.
Boxing fans can't wait for Bivol to come back in 2026. It's not clear who he'll fight next. His return will shape the future of the light heavyweight division.
