Dmitry Bivol will return to action on Saturday at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to fight Lyndon Arthur and defend his WBA light heavyweight title. This fight will mark the end of Bivol’s one-year break from the ring. Bivol has already made ten successful title defenses in his career. Now that he has had surgery to relieve the residual pain in his right hand, Bivol has the kind of confidence that an orthodox boxer needs. His improved ability to train can give him more confidence to throw his right hand without hesitation.
Now that he is back, he has decided to pick the pace again. Michael Benson took to X to inform his fans about Bivol’s new fight deal with Saudi Arabia. If all goes well, 2024 could prove to be another eventful year for boxing. Let’s dive a little deeper into it and find out what it entails.
Dmitry Bivol’s plans for the future
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As Benson reported, it has been confirmed that the Champion has signed a two-fight deal with Saudi Arabia. The first, this Saturday, against Lyndon Arthur. The second, he hopes, is against the winner of Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith sometime next year. Bivol also hopes to become an undisputed champion in 2024.
Dmitry Bivol has confirmed that he’s signed a two-fight deal in Saudi Arabia – first Lyndon Arthur on Saturday night, and hope is for the second to be the Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith winner for undisputed in 2024: “I have a plan to be undisputed and I see it very close now.”
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) December 19, 2023
“I had a very busy year in 2022,” Bivol said. “It was very busy, very hard. And half [of this] year, I was resting mentally from that year,” said Bivol. The Russian praised Arthur on his jabs and counters. He admits that this fight will be a very good chance for him to check his skills. Given Lyndon’s current four-fight winning streak, Bivol cannot afford to take this fight lightly as he defends his title for the eleventh time.
Dmitry Bivol vs. Canelo Álvarez rematch
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Canelo Álvarez, at the T-Mobile Arena on May 7, 2022, raised his left hand in the hopes of winning a decision that he didn’t deserve. As the ring announcer, David Diamante finished reading out the scorecards. Rather, Diamante exclaimed, “He’s still unbeaten and the world’s WBA light heavyweight champion… Dmitry Bivol!” everyone in the audience watched with astonishment. While some had backed Bivol, his win came as an upset to most.
Read More: “Go Get It Champ”: Fans Hype Up Dmitry Bivol Ahead of Anticipated Day of Reckoning Card Fight
In September 2022, fans were hoping for a straight rematch. The fighters were unable to come to a firm agreement. Unexpectedly, Canelo desired to return to super middleweight. The following year, he signed his $100 million fight deal with the PBC. With the way things are, it is unlikely that we will see their rematch anytime soon.
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Meanwhile, Bivol’s next fight will also determine what step he will take after that. As the Day of Reckoning fight draws closer, eyes are on the boxer. Will he end up disappointing his fans or come out with flying colors?
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