Dmitry Bivol will defend his light heavyweight titles against Michael Eifert in May, with the fight now expected to headline a separate event in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
The bout was initially planned for the May 23 card featuring Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven in Egypt, but has since been moved to its own show. It will mark Bivol’s return to fighting in Russia for the first time since 2021.
Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) enters the contest as the lineal, WBA, IBF and WBO champion following his win over Artur Beterbiev in February 2025. The 35-year-old had previously become undisputed champion before vacating the WBC title amid ordering disputes.
Eifert (13-1, 5 KOs) has held IBF mandatory status since his 2023 win over Jean Pascal but has faced multiple delays in securing his title shot. The German now gets his opportunity, though it comes on the road against the reigning champion.
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