Bivol Defends Heavyweight Titles by Unanimous Decision

Dmitry Bivol successfully defended his unified light heavyweight world titles with a dominant unanimous decision victory over mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on Saturday night in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The fight marked Bivol’s first appearance in the ring in 15 months, following a lengthy recovery from back surgery.

The 35-year-old champion, who holds the WBA, IBF, and WBO belts, controlled the bout from the opening round, where he dropped Eifert with a sharp left hook. Bivol then utilized precise footwork, a consistent jab, and effective counter-punching to maintain a commanding lead throughout the 12-round contest. All three judges scored the fight identically, 120-107, in Bivol’s favor. Eifert, the IBF mandatory challenger from Germany, showed durability by surviving to the final bell but was unable to mount any sustained offensive threat. With the win, Bivol improved his professional record to 25-1, while Eifert fell to 13-2.

The victory immediately shifted focus to Bivol’s next move, with several high-profile options on the table. According to promoter Eddie Hearn, the champion’s team will now consider three potential opponents. The most discussed is a third fight with...