Dmitry Bivol is not your usual boxer. The former WBA light heavyweight champion is a quiet boxer who rarely takes the storm with his verbal warfare. He employs the same principle inside the boxing ring, as he tries to make his fights look classy and effortless instead of going to war. It’s a lesson that he learned from his father. It helped him attain success not only in his amateur career but also clinch the top spot in the light heavyweight division after he turned pro.

So, whenever the Russian steps into the ring, there is a natural tendency to know about his early life and how he picked up the sport of boxing. The curiosity also extends to his family and his parents. As Bivol is a man of few words and a private person, he doesn’t often reveal his personal life to the fans. But you can scroll down and get to know his parents, who sacrificed a lot to ensure their son reached the pinnacle of boxing.

Where are Bivol’s parents from?

The 34-year-old was born on December 18, 1990, to Yuri Bivol and Yelena Bivol in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan, when it was still part of the Soviet Union (Kirghiz SSR). Interestingly, his father and his mother both were born in the USSR, but his father was really born in present-day Moldova and could only speak Moldovan till he was 10. His mother, of Korean descent, was born in Kazakhstan before her family relocated to Kyrgyzstan. After both his parents completed their studies, they met in Russia, got married, and eventually settled in Kyrgyzstan, at his mother’s home. It was here where Bivol was born and lived for the first 11 years of his life.

While Bivol grew up, his parents took farming, and it wasn’t long before Bivol fell in love with combat sports. The Jackie Chan movie he saw early in his life left a lasting impression on him, as he first picked up wushu. However, he soon realized he wasn’t fond of kicking, and at 6, his father took him to a boxing gym. Life in Tokmok was particularly hard, and despite struggles for equipment, Yuri made sure he was there for his son’s training sessions and tournaments.

More about Dmitry Bivol’s father, mother, and siblings

Dmitry Bivol’s journey to boxing greatness was shaped by the sacrifices of his parents, who moved their family from Kyrgyzstan to provide better opportunities. Reflecting on their decision, Bivol acknowledges their efforts were for all their children, not just him.

“I cannot tell that they sacrifice all only because of me,” he told DAZN. “They sacrificed for all of my siblings. They knew that we needed a good university. Even if it was not sport, it would be abroad, because at that time, you could not see the opportunities [at home]. My parents moved for us all.”

Born to a Moldovan father and a Korean mother, Bivol grew up in a diverse environment. “It was multi-national, multi-cultural,” he said. “In my grade in school, I felt myself as a normal human being. We were friendly with each other. We weren’t separated by culture.”

What do you make of these details about Dmitry Bivol’s family and parents? Which details about his earlier life surprised you? Let us know in the comments below.