Artur Beterbiev has not fought since losing his undisputed lightweight heavyweight world title in a rematch with Dmitry Bivol last February. He has now revealed that he has agreed to fight David Benavidez until the latter’s team changes its mind.

Beterbiev became the first undisputed lightweight heavyweight champion of the four-belt era when he overtook Bivol in October 2024but the tables were turned in a rematch four months later when Bivol took the throne.

The pair have since been linked into a trilogy, but many boxing fans are more interested in the fight between Bivol and Benavidez, who currently holds the WBC lightweight heavyweight title and the unified cruiserweight world title.

However, following a recent order from the WBO, it appears that Bivol may fight Liverpool’s Callum Smith instead if he wants to retain the belt before he can move on to a fight with Benavidez or Beterbiev.

As a result, there are suggestions that Benavidez and Beterbiev could meet, with the winner moving on to an undisputed clash with Bivol.

In an interview with Match TVBeterbiev said Benavidez’s team recently rejected the fight, despite previously agreeing to the fight following “The Mexican Monster’s” victory over Anthony Yard in November.

“Benavidez is the kind of person who talks much more than he says. But it must be admitted that it is conducted very competently. He is already world champion in three weight categories, but his boxing is muddy and of course there are questions about some of his victories.

“He had a fight with Anthony Yard and after that fight I agreed to go out with him. Apparently his team didn’t expect me to agree so quickly, so they immediately changed their mind and chose [Zurdo] Ramirez.

“It was a year ago, it has become the norm in boxing – I will box, I won’t, I will choose my opponents – I like this one, I don’t like that one. I have a different mentality – it is foreign to me.”

At 41, Beterbiev is still training, hoping to challenge Bivol for a third time and cement himself as the winner of a trilogy that will be remembered for generations to come.

Boxing Insider Promotions returns to Tropicana Atlantic City on Saturday, June 13

Boxing Insider Promotions invites you to another exhilarating night of professional boxing at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City on Saturday, June 13. The seven-fight card is packed with tri-state talent, undefeated prospects and the type of fights that keep fans on their toes.

Buy tickets to Seldon vs Popper Boxing Insider at Tropicana Atlantic City on June 13

Main Event: Bruce Seldon Jr. vs. Josh Popper (6 rounds, heavyweight)

This is the fight Atlantic City has been waiting for. Two undefeated heavyweights from South Jersey, 13 knockouts between them, zero losses on either record. Bruce Seldon Jr. of Smithville and Josh Popper of Egg Harbor Township are on a collision course, and only one makes it out with his zero intact. Six rounds may be more than any fighter needs.

Co-feature: Daiyaan Butt vs. Willmank Canonico Brito (8 rounds, super lightweight, 142 lbs)

Daiyaan Butt of Philadelphia is the most experienced fighter on the card, and his risky opponent is Willmank Canonico Brito of Rosarito, Mexico. Brito has 11 knockouts and it wasn’t an basic night for anyone. Eight rounds at 142 gives both men plenty of time to work.

Damian Tinnerello vs. Abdalla Nagy (6 rounds, super middleweight, 156 pounds)

In Berlin, Modern Jersey’s Damian Tinnerello serves his country in the U.S. Air Force and punishes his opponents in the ring. The undefeated super middleweight has stopped four of his five opponents and returns to the Tropicana against Albuquerque’s Abdalla Nagy.

Kahshad Elliott vs. Scottie Stockman (6 rounds, super middleweight, 156 pounds)

Kahshad Elliott of Plainfield scares people away. Six knockouts in seven fights, no losses, no close fights. Scottie Stockman from Medford, Oregon, is flying across the country to try to change that. Good luck.

Julio Sanchez III vs. Shawn Rall (4 rounds, lightweight)

If you leave your place for this, you will regret it. Julio Sanchez III of Pleasantville is a high-pressure fighter who struggles all night long, and Shawn Rall of Bedford, Ohio, is not the type of fighter to support. Fight of the night is written all over it.

Jahanzeb Rizwan (4 rounds, middleweight)

Jahanzeb Rizwan of the Bronx won his professional debut by stoppage and returns to the ring looking to capitalize on that momentum. The opponent will be announced.

David Malul vs. Julius Thomas (4 rounds, welterweight)

Undefeated welterweight David Malul makes his Atlantic City debut against Youngstown’s Julius Thomas. The Queens resident, who observes the Sabbath, will enter the ring after sunset.

Tickets are now on sale at Ticketmaster.

Buy tickets to Seldon vs Popper Boxing Insider at Tropicana Atlantic City on June 13

Tim Bradley often sees Terence Crawford in O’Shaquie Foster. The former two-division world champion Hall of Famer had high praise for Foster when reviewing his recent performance on his YouTube channel, comparing the former WBC super featherweight world champion to one of boxing’s greatest fighters.

“That damn boy O’Shaquie Foster. 2.0 to Crawford. 2.0 Crawford” Bradley said on his channel.

“This kid is bad. He doesn’t have the punching power or killer instinct of Terence Crawford. But damn, he can do it from both ends. He’s glossy on both sides.”

Bradley spent most of his breakdown praising Foster’s in-ring IQ, adaptability and ability to adjust during fights. He believes these traits set Foster apart from many fighters in the division and allow him to control opponents with movement, feints and timing.

“That’s probably boxing IQ, if you can decipher that. And that’s O’Shaquie Foster,” Bradley said.

The praise didn’t end there.

Bradley also discussed a potential fight between O’Shaquie and Shakur Stevenson. The fight has gained increasing interest since Foster challenged Stevenson following his victory over Raymond Ford.

Although Bradley ultimately favors Shakur, he believes O’Shaquie will cause more problems than many fans expect.

“This is the reason I feel this way O’Shaquie is causing some problems for Shakur,Bradley said.

“Do I think he’s going to beat Shakur? No. Hell no. But I think he has a damn good chance of upsetting the apple cart.”

Bradley cited Foster’s experience, versatility and ability to fight from a variety of positions as the reason he thinks the former champion might make Stevenson uncomfortable.

Despite this, Bradley still believes that Stevenson will have the advantage in the fight if the fight is made. He disagrees with the growing belief that O’Shaquie will be completely outclassed.

Bradley’s assessment suggests that Foster’s skills may be good enough to make the potential matchup much more competitive than many fans currently expect.

Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most critical fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.

Click here to sign up for our FREE newsletter

Related boxing news:

Last update: 2026/06/07 at 13:58