The IBF has thrown a wrench into plans for a rematch between undisputed four-belt gentle heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol by ordering the brand new champion to defend towards necessary Michael Eifert subsequent.
Eifert (13-1, 15 KOs), a German fighter, earned his IBF necessary standing by defeating 40-year-old Jean Pascal by a 12-round unanimous resolution final 12 months on March 16, 2023. Within the 26-year-old Eifert’s final struggle, he knocked out little-known Carlos Eduardo Jimenez within the second spherical on August twenty fourth.
The IBF’s resolution to order Beterbiev to defend towards Eifert places the Beterbiev-Bivol rematch unsure. Beterbiev shouldn’t be the sort that might vacate his titles until he have been to maneuver up in weight, which he’s not more likely to do, given the quantity of curiosity there may be in a second struggle between him and Bivol.
Yesterday, Group Bivol filed an enchantment with all 4 sanctioning our bodies, IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO, to order a rematch with Beterbiev as a result of controversial final result of their struggle final Saturday, October twelfth, in Riyadh.
There was an enormous backlash on account of the enchantment from followers, nevertheless it’s now it’s comprehensible why Group Bivol made the enchantment. They wished to make sure that Beterbiev wouldn’t be ordered to face one of many necessary challengers.
The enchantment by Group Bivol nonetheless could not alter the IBF’s resolution to order Beterbiev to defend towards Eifert subsequent. If the IBF has their resolution that they need Beterbiev to face Eifert subsequent, they’re not going to vary their thoughts.
A step-aside deal would take advantage of sense for Beterbiev to handle his necessary IBF, Eifert, so long as he’s keen to conform to it. Given how a lot curiosity there may be in Beterbeiv’s profession proper now, it will have to be an enormous step apart. Eifert could be higher off taking the struggle with Beterbiev than agreeing to step apart.
“Causes for Bivol’s actions now come into gentle – IBF has now ordered Artur Beterbiev-Michael Eifert necessary title protection. Eifert beat former lineal champ Jean Pascal in an eliminator final March; has since fought as soon as, in a scheduled six-rounder vs. a no-hoper,” stated Jake Donovan on X.
