Eddie Hearn said talks have begun for a Dmitry Bivol vs. David Benavidez fight for the undisputed light heavyweight championship, with discussions already held with Benavidez co-promoter Luis De Cubas. If both men win their upcoming May fights, the bout would put all four belts on the line at 175 pounds.
Benavidez is set to face Gilberto Ramirez on May 2 in Las Vegas in a cruiserweight title fight, while Bivol is scheduled to defend his three light heavyweight belts against Michael Eifert on May 30 in Russia. Bivol holds the WBA, IBF and WBO titles at 175 pounds, and Benavidez owns the WBC belt after moving to the top of the division earlier this year.
Hearn cast the matchup as the kind of fight that pushes the sport forward, saying boxing needs fighters who want to win belts and become unified and undisputed champions, as well as multi-weight titleholders. For Benavidez, the stakes are direct: a loss to Ramirez would be his first, and it would delay any move back toward a title shot at light heavyweight.
The tension is in the calendar. The fight Hearn is discussing cannot happen unless both men clear different assignments first, and Benavidez is taking on a cruiserweight champion before any possible return to 175 pounds. If they win, the conversation around Bivol’s next fight shifts from speculation to a rare undisputed title bout with all four major belts at stake.