Boxing

The return of Dmitry Bivol raises doubts before the fight with Eifert

Published

5 months ago

April 21, 2026

Image: De La Hoya: Bivol vs. Benavidez is the Fight to Make, Not a Beterbiev Trilogy

Bivol’s victory over Malik Zinad in Riyad last year did not reassure doubters. Zinad entered the fight with circumscribed reputation value and no major victories over proven rivals. He was seen by many as a replacement opponent rather than as the sort of challenge that would show where the champion stood.

Previously, at the end of 2023, Bivol overtook Lyndon Arthur. Arthur is a capable fighter with solid credentials, but critics viewed this result as a good career win rather than a statement against one of the division’s top fighters.

Then came two fights with Artur Beterbiev. Bivol lost the first match and officially won the rematch by majority decision, but many fans believed the second fight could have ended in a draw. This has caused more debate than certainty as to where he stands at the top of the airy heavyweight division.

Now Bivol will face Eifert after a long period out of the ring and spine surgery. By fight night, he will have been inactive for over a year. For a fighter whose style depends on footwork, balance, timing and controlled movement, inactivity may carry greater risks than for the average boxer.

None of this means that Bivol is over or has been diminished. Elite boxers have made a robust comeback after earlier layoffs. However, this return comes with more questions than multiple title defenses.

Heroes can only live on their reputation for so long. On May 30, Bivol has a chance to prove that, at his level, he can still perform in the present tense, not the past tense.

Still, the 16-month break poses a huge obstacle for Bivol. When he enters the ring in Yekaterinburg on May 30, he will not be circumscribed only by inactivity, but by the physical reality of spine surgery. A herniated disc for a movement-based fighter like Bivol is a different beast than for a stationary slugger.

If these lateral movements, or the characteristic spring in his step, are reduced by even 10%, Bivol’s version of the “elite technician” could become a thing of the past.

It can be said that his resume is largely based on his victory over Zurdo Ramirez in 2022. Since then, the trajectory has been unclear.

Although he received the majority decision in February 2025, it did not exactly end the case. As I noted, many saw Beterbiev draw or narrowly win.

Victories over Malik Zinad and Lyndon Arthur kept the belts balmy, but didn’t provide the drag needed to prove he was still the pound-for-pound threat he was when dismantling Canelo.

Turning 36 is the established drop off a cliff into lighter, speed-dependent weights. Even in the airy heavyweight division, reflexes are usually the first thing to look at.

Michael Eifert is an engaging choice to return. On the one hand, he’s an IBF must-see, so Bivol has to fight him to keep the hardware. Then again, his only real claim to fame is his 2023 decision on the very faded Jean Pascal. He is younger (28) and fresh, but he hasn’t shown the world-class equipment that would normally cause problems for Bivol.

If Bivol fights Eifert or looks sluggish, the talented narrative surrounding the Beterbiev fight will only become louder. Fans are looking for the 2022 version of Bivol, but after repairing his back and four years of aging since his last dominant win against an elite name, we may be looking at a champion fighting on borrowed time.

Boxing

Don King Removes WBC Belt from Mikaelian-Opetaia Fight: What It Means for Boxing

Published

26 minutes ago

September 12, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Don King Removes WBC Belt from Mikaelian-Opetaia Fight: What It Means for Boxing"

By Boxing News 24 Desk – 09/11/2026 – Comments

Jai Opetaia may defeat WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian on Saturday night without being allowed to claim his title. What was presented as a unification fight could now proceed with only Opetaia’s Ring Magazine and Zuffa Boxing belts available.

“Don King reports that the WBC cruiserweight title will not be on the line in the Mikaelian vs. Opetaia fight this Saturday. Let’s wait for what the organization officially says,” Rodriguez on X.

Opetaia and Mikaelian are scheduled to meet in the co-feature of the Ryan Garcia–Conor Benn card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Removing the WBC title would take much of the historical value from the matchup. Opetaia can establish himself as the better fighter and beat the reigning WBC champion, yet leave the arena no closer to becoming undisputed. That is a poor result for a cruiserweight division already divided among several champions.

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The WBC had ordered Mikaelian to face WBA and WBO champion David Benavidez. Mikaelian instead accepted the Opetaia fight after a deal with Benavidez was not completed, placing his title status in danger.

King has also sent a cease-and-desist letter to Zuffa Boxing and TKO Group Holdings. His promotional company claims it holds an exclusive agreement with Mikaelian and did not authorize the Opetaia fight. Hehas already lost the IBF title without being defeated in the ring after the organization refused to sanction his fight with Brandon Glanton. The Australian may now be denied an opportunity to win the WBC belt for similar reasons involving sanctioning rules and promotional control.

Nothing changes about the difficulty of Saturday’s fight. Mikaelian remains a capable, experienced cruiserweight who defeated Badou Jack in their December rematch. The difference is that Opetaia may receive considerably less for beating him.

Until the WBC releases an official ruling, Mikaelian remains its cruiserweight champion. If King’s information is accurate, however, the fight has gone from a meaningful unification to another example of boxing preventing its leading cruiserweights from settling the division inside the ring.

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Last Updated on 2026/09/12 at 4:11 AM

Boxing

Terence Crawford Claims Everyone Waited for His Retirement to Acknowledge His Greatness

Published

9 hours ago

September 11, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Terence Crawford Claims Everyone Waited for His Retirement to Acknowledge His Greatness"

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“Before I retired, there wasn’t too many people jumping and calling for Terence Crawford. Now that I’m retired, everybody calling out your boy,” Crawford said to Nightcap. “It’s the payday and opportunity. They look at it and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to get the highest check of our career. This dude is about to be 39. He probably slowed down a step or two, and maybe this is the right time.’”

His reading of the belated Crawford chase is fair. Jaron “Boots” Ennis wants him, Ryan Garcia has taken shots at his record, and Dana White has talked about finding the right fight to pull him back. He has become far more popular as a target since announcing he is finished.

The risk has changed as well. Calling out an active Crawford meant eventually having to fight him. Challenging him now gives a boxer publicity without requiring him to follow through unless an enormous financial package materializes.

Age is clearly part of the attraction. A younger opponent can collect a career-high purse while hoping that time has removed enough of the speed, reflexes, and stamina that made Crawford so difficult. If the challenger loses, he was beaten by an all-time great. If he wins, Crawford’s name becomes the foundation of his career.

An Ennis fight would therefore need to offer Crawford much more than another name on his record. He already walked away after winning titles in five divisions and becoming undisputed in three. Beating Ennis would generate money, but the reaction would quickly turn into claims that Crawford was always supposed to win.

He also insisted that he is enjoying retirement and does not miss competing inside the ring.

“I’ve been enjoying the hell out of it. I don’t have to worry about anything. All I have to do is enjoy life, travel the world, and be a fan. In the ring, no, not really. I did everything. When I walked away, I was a five-division champion and three-division undisputed. You can’t do it any better than how I did it.”

The challenges may continue because Crawford remains the biggest available payday from 147 through 160. That does not mean any of those fighters wanted the same test before his departure made it safer to ask.

Boxing

Dana White Shuts Down Ryan Garcias Egg Stunt Controversy

Published

9 hours ago

September 11, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Dana White Shuts Down Ryan Garcia's Egg Stunt Controversy"

Ryan Garcia showed up to Friday’s face-off with a pair of eggs tucked into his pockets, seemingly planning to pelt Conor Benn. The prank fell apart before Garcia even stepped on stage because Dana White’s security guards caught on immediately.

“Before the face-off, Ryan Garcia had two eggs in his pocket. My security team saw it and he came up to me before. He said, ‘He’s got two eggs in his pocket. What do you want me to do?’ I said, ‘Have him give you the eggs. Get the eggs out of his pocket,’” White told Ring Magazine. “We don’t need him hitting Conor Benn with an egg.”

White made the right call. Tossing an egg sounds silly on paper, but Benn was never going to shrug off that kind of public disrespect under the glare of the cameras. A single retaliatory swing could have sparked an injury, triggered a suspension, or completely wiped out the headliner.

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Garcia clearly plotted this out ahead of time. He sourced the eggs, slipped them past the doors, and bided his time until the face-off. The payoff amounted to nothing more than a brief viral clip online. The downside was putting a massive WBC welterweight title bout in jeopardy after promoters poured millions into the event.

Security stepped in just in time to protect Garcia from his own worst impulses. When Saturday night arrives, he can focus on landing clean punches against Benn instead of throwing breakfast food. Taking those eggs away prevented an instant, close-quarters brawl that almost certainly would have left one of them cut, bruised, and unfit to fight on Saturday. Ryan was playing with fire for a five-second clip.

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