Trilogy Bout Postponed
The anticipated trilogy bout between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev is now indefinitely postponed, following the announcement on Tuesday that Beterbiev will next face Deon Nicholson on November 22. This match will be part of The Ring IV “Night of Champions” event, where David Benavidez will headline against Anthony Yarde.
Background on Beterbiev and Bivol
Beterbiev, who was once the undisputed champion of the light heavyweight division, is coming off a majority decision loss to Bivol earlier this year, marking the first defeat in his professional boxing career. The two fighters previously faced off last October, when Beterbiev claimed victory over Bivol to become the undisputed champion.
Change of Plans
Initially, both fighters sought to hold their trilogy match in Russia, rather than through the Riyadh Season promotional body that previously hosted them. Turki Alalshikh, the Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, endorsed their wish to proceed with a Russian-based promoter. However, Beterbiev has since selected Nicholson, a relatively lesser-known opponent, for his upcoming fight.
Fighter Profiles
Beterbiev, who holds a professional record of 21 wins (20 by knockout) and one loss, will take on Nicholson, whose record stands at 22 wins and 18 KOs, and is fighting out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Nicholson, at 34 years old, has mostly fought less prominent opponents since starting his professional career in 2016. His only loss occurred in 2021 when he was knocked out by Efetobor Apochi, making the upcoming fight against the formidable Beterbiev a significant challenge.
Future Prospects
Following their February rematch, talks between Beterbiev and Bivol for the third fight collapsed, leading Beterbiev to express his dissatisfaction online. Meanwhile, Bivol, having given up the WBC title rather than competing against Benavidez, is now ordered by the IBF to defend against Michael Eifert. As of now, it remains uncertain whether Bivol will comply with this order or if he will find another bout before potentially facing Beterbiev in the future.
