Since last year, the fate of the heavyweight division and its lighter counterpart has moved in tandem. In 2024, five months after Oleksandr Usyk became the century’s first undisputed heavyweight champion, his former rival Artur Beterbiev made history and became the first four-belt holder at 175 pounds since Roy Jones Jr. achieved the feat in 1999. In 2025, both divisions underwent a similar upheaval. Only this time, it was Beterbiev who fell. In February, Dmitry Bivol staged a coup to become the new undisputed light heavyweight champion before Usyk reclaimed his own fourth belt five months later. To sum up, the heavyweight division seems to have settled into stability, whereas the 175-pound class now appears to be teetering on the edge of uncertainty.

Much of the anticipation centered around the trilogy fight between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. Seemingly in preparation for a third bout, Bivol vacated his WBC belt. And the interim titleholder, David Benavidez, was elevated to full champion. Now, a twist in the plot suggests the Bivol–Beterbiev trilogy may be in jeopardy. Despite receiving Turki Alalshikh’s blessing, the bout’s fate remains uncertain. Early last month, Beterbiev, who turned 40 in January, voiced his frustration, taking a pointed jab at Bivol for making him wait. Then, a recent report suggests, he may have run out of patience and could be pursuing a new opponent.

According to boxing enthusiast @danthboxingman, discussions are underway for a potential fight between Artur Beterbiev and Najee Lopez. The 25-year-old Puerto Rican, who was born in Atlanta, remains unbeaten and currently ranks 14th in the WBA’s top 15.

“‼️ARTUR BETERBIEV & NAJEE LOPEZ ARE IN TALKS FOR A FIGHT‼️” the tweet read. If finalized, the fight between the former champion and the contender could take place on the November 22 card, headlined by David Benavidez’s title defense against Anthony Yarde.

Needless to say, the update has stirred heated debate. Some blame Dmitry Bivol for stalling the trilogy fight. On October 12 of last year, he suffered the first loss of his career. Artur Beterbiev outboxed him to win a majority decision. But four months later, Bivol returned the favor.

But now, there’s a growing clamor. Many believe Bivol is deliberately delaying the third bout to gain an advantage. He’s letting an already aging Beterbiev grow even older before striking when the iron is hottest.

Trilogy Trouble: Will Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol meet again?

The pain in Beterbiev’s words was unmistakable: “Dima, how old do I have to be so that we can fight for the third time?” Venting his frustration, Beterbiev emphasized that despite his eagerness for a trilogy bout, its future now appears uncertain.

“After the second fight, I immediately showed interest in an early third fight, and at first there were rumors about the fight in August, but my opponent said in an interview that he wanted to hold it in late autumn, then – at the end of the year, and now – it is completely unknown when,” said Beterbiev.

Diehard fans may need to take the latest update with a pinch of salt. As it stands, the Beterbiev–Lopez fight remains under discussion. It has yet to be finalized or scheduled. Had Bivol remained the undisputed champion, he might have had to consider a showdown with his former sparring partner and mandatory challenger, David Benavidez.

Amid mounting criticism, Bivol chose to relinquish his belt in anticipation of a third fight with Artur Beterbiev. Additionally, reports suggest that Turki Alalshikh has approved holding the bout in Russia, marking a shift from Riyadh, where the pair’s previous two clashes took place.

Still, if Beterbiev chooses to move forward with a fight against Lopez, it will be intriguing to see how the Bivol trilogy unfolds from there. Could he be viewing Lopez as a tune-up to sharpen himself for the final chapter with Bivol?

What’s your take? If the reports are accurate, should Beterbiev go ahead and face Najee Lopez? Or wait it out for Bivol?