Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol finally square off again this Saturday, and by the end of the night, we’ll have an undisputed king of the light heavyweight division. The catch? Either man’s victory opens the door to a flood of potential matchups that could cause new headaches for the sanctioning bodies. Some officials even admit it’s a problem figuring out how to sort out all these contenders.
One major name breathing down the winner’s neck is David Benavidez, who is consistently getting bypassed by Canelo Alvarez at super middleweight. There’s even talk he’ll attend Saturday’s card in Riyadh in hopes of paving the way for a showdown later this year.
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However, the IBF insists their mandatory is Michael Eifert, while the WBO points to the upcoming Joshua Buatsi vs. Callum Smith winner as next in line. Throw in whispers of a possible trilogy if Bivol avenges his earlier loss to Beterbiev, and it’s clear chaos might reign even after we unify the 175-pound belts.
Who do you think leaves the ring undisputed - Beterbiev’s power or Bivol’s polished skill set? And is Benavidez the biggest shark circling the waters at light heavyweight?
Image Credit: DAZN