After welcoming Oleksandr Usyk, the Pyramids of Giza could open their doors for another divisional king. Fifteen months after he became an undisputed champion, Dmitry Bivol is set to make a comeback. Reports indicate he may face the IBF’s number one-ranked contender, Michael Eifert, for the mandatory title defense. The duo is expected to feature on a Ring-DAZN card headlined by a fight between Usyk and kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23. Bivol’s fight materialized after his team reached an agreement with Eifert’s side, leading to the last-minute cancellation of the purse bid set for Tuesday.

“News: Per source, Tuesday’s IBF purse bid for light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol’s mandatory vs. Michael Eifert will be canceled,” Dan Rafael wrote. “They have notified the IBF that a deal is in place & that plans are for it to be on the #UsykVerhoeven DAZN PPV card May 23 at the Pyramids in Giza, Egypt.”

The fight marks Dmitry Bivol‘s return since he defeated rival Artur Beterbiev in a rematch in February 2025 by a majority decision. They had previously met on October 12, 2024, where Beterbiev handed Bivol his first career loss, also by majority decision.

Yet, since that February win, Bivol has been anything but active. A few days after the fight in Riyadh, the WBC ordered him to defend his championship against David Benavidez, who held the interim title at the time. Initial reports suggested the two sides were inching closer to a deal. But the fight failed to materialize—before it could reach purse bids—as Bivol decided to vacate his title.

With talks of a trilogy fight against Beterbiev looming, Bivol cited the IBF leading the mandatory rotation as a reason before settling on vacating the title. As a result, Benavidez becomes a full champion.

“Everyone in boxing knows that there is a commitment for a third bout with Artur Beterbiev… we are working to consummate that bout,” the letter from Bivol’s attorney to the WBC president read. “In addition, we are dismayed at the inability of the ratings organizations to adhere to the rotation system set up many years ago. You are aware that the (I)BF has claimed to be the lead organization, with justification, for the next Bivol bout.”

By August, Bivol revealed he had undergone back surgery. His team followed up by seeking a medical exemption from the IBF and later shared a medical certificate with the WBO.

How the light heavyweight picture shapes Dmitry Bivol’s next move

In the last few days, a spurt in training footage of Dmitry Bivol has led to much anticipation about his next fight. What’s more significant in his case remains the questions several fans have been asking: Will the trilogy with Beterbiev happen, or will he step in to face former sparring partner David Benavidez, who has been frequently calling him out?

As things stand, the most likely scenario – once Bivol defeats Eifert – appears to be a title consolidation at the WBO. There, Callum Smith has been waiting as the interim champion. The former super middleweight champion, who suffered defeats from Beterbiev and Canelo, defends his interim belt against David Morrell on April 18 in Liverpool. If he edges past the Cuban’s challenge, then he could circle back to call out Bivol.

Benavidez, who besides the WBC title holds the regular belt at the WBA at 175 pounds, will step in for a face-off against unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez on the Cinco de Mayo weekend. That rules out a matchup with Bivol anytime soon.

That leaves Beterbiev as the best bet, as a fight with Albert Ramirez, who holds the interim title at the WBA, may not be a lucrative draw.