At some point, a grown-up in the room needs to take control of this matter.
BoxingScene has confirmed that the IBF has permitted yet another postponement in the Dmitry Bivol-Michael Eifert purse bid process. Tuesday’s session was removed from the calendar, marking the fifth consecutive week where representatives from both sides were permitted extra time to reach a deal – or at least avoid the overdue mandatory light heavyweight title fight being made available to the highest bidder among all IBF-registered promoters.
Bivol, 24-1 (12 KOs) – the lineal, RING, WBA, IBF and WBO 175lbs champion - is represented by Matchroom Boxing and manager Vadim Kornilov. Germany’s Eifert, 13-1 (5 KOs), is with SES Promotions and manager Benedikt “Benny “Blanko from the Burg” Poelchau.
Talks remain ongoing with the hopes of staging the fight sometime in the spring.
Meanwhile, the matter has left both fighters out of the ring for well over a year.
Bivol has not fought since a 12-round, majority decision over Artur Beterbiev last February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The feat saw Bivol become undisputed champion and avenge his lone career defeat. Beterbiev fully unified the 175lbs division with his disputed points win over Bivol in October 2024.
Their first fight saw Bivol’s WBA title reign end after nearly seven years. He was the sport’s second-longest reigning active titlist at the time of the fight. Beterbiev entered the rematch with the longest current direct line to a sanctioning body title, having held the IBF belt since November 2017.
The rematch was permitted by the IBF, on the condition that the winner next face Germany’s Eifert, who has been the mandatory since a March 2023 win over former lineal champion Jean Pascal. Beterbiev had to file an exception with the sanctioning body to move forward with the considerably more lucrative second fight with Bivol.
Thus, Bivol inherited the IBF mandatory with his win.
He was also required to next face WBC interim titlist David Benavidez. More so, Bivol and his team were thrown for a loop when WBC officials jumped the line and ordered its fight when all the sanctioning bodies agreed the IBF was next in the rotation.
Bivol ultimately vacated the WBC title and was forced to revisit the fight with Eifert. Plans for the IBF to enforce its mandatory were put on hold when Bivol underwent back surgery to remove a longstanding herniated disc, which left him shelved for the balance of 2025.
An attempt to secure an interim title fight for Eifert provided little movement. All told, he’s only had one fight since earning the IBF top spot while his team has patiently waited for justice to prevail.
As has been the case seemingly since the beginning of this process, they now get to wait at least one more week.
