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| Photo: Artur Beterbiev (Instagram) |
Artur Beterbiev has been told he must defend his IBF light-heavyweight title against his mandatory challenger. This announcement comes just one day after Dmitry Bivol asked for an immediate rematch with Beterbiev.
Beterbiev, 39, became the first boxer to hold all four major belts in the light-heavyweight division after winning a close fight against Bivol on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The judges scored the match 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112 in favor of Beterbiev, a decision that has faced criticism from Bivol's promoter, Eddie Hearn, and manager, Vadim Kornilov.
Bivol, 33, has formally requested the support of the WBO, WBA, IBF, and WBC to help him secure a rematch. However, the IBF has now ordered Beterbiev to start negotiations with German fighter Michael Eifert, who is the mandatory challenger.
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| Photo: Artur Beterbiev (Instagram) |
This does not mean a rematch is off the table. The IBF has stated that Beterbiev can ask for an exception to fight another opponent instead, which they will consider. The four major sanctioning bodies allow fighters to compete for their titles but cannot change the results of fights.
The British Boxing Board of Control oversaw Saturday's event, as it has done for most fights in Saudi Arabia over the past year. Hearn criticized the 116-112 scorecard, calling it "disgusting," but Bivol did not publicly question the decision. This fight marked Bivol's first loss in 24 matches, while it was also the first time Beterbiev had gone the distance in his professional career.
A rematch is still possible, as both fighters have expressed interest in a second fight. However, they will need the backing of the sanctioning bodies to keep all four belts on the line.
A similar situation happened recently when Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury for the heavyweight titles in May. The IBF quickly required Usyk to defend his title against a mandatory challenger. When Usyk vacated, Daniel Dubois became the full champion.
The upcoming rematch between Fury and Usyk on December 21 will not include the undisputed title. In the past, champions have been granted exceptions to delay mandatory fights. For instance, IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia was allowed to fight Jack Massey last Saturday, despite Massey not being ranked in the top 10 by the IBF.
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Source: BBC Sports
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