Boxing

Dmitry Bivol vs David Benavidez Purse Bid Cancelled

The WBC had set the purse bid for Dmitry Bivol and David Benavidez is set for Tuesday at noon ET.
Nathaniel Marrero|
David Benavidez celebrates after defeating Caleb Plant (not pictured) in their Interim WBC Super Middleweight Championship boxing bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
David Benavidez celebrates after defeating Caleb Plant (not pictured) in their Interim WBC Super Middleweight Championship boxing bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

One of the best fights that can be made in boxing will have to wait a little longer

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman posted on X that the purse bid for Dmitry Bivol vs. David Benavidez is set for noon ET on Tuesday. Bivol was the WBC light heavyweight champion, while Benavidez was the interim WBC light heavyweight champion.

Later after the post, it was announced by Sulaiman that Bivol would be vacating his WBC light heavyweight title and that Benavidez would be elevated to full titlist.

The path to a Bivol vs. Benavidez bout for the undisputed light heavyweight title was always going to be far from a smooth one. Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) appeared to be headed for a third fight against Artur Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) after they split their first two fights. Turki Alalshikh, who helped put together the Beterbiev vs. Bivol 1 and 2, said he wasn't interested in a bout between Bivol and Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs).

“I am no longer interested in Bivol-Benavidez and I will not bid on it," Alalshikh said. "I think Bivol knows who has delivered for him and who hasn’t. My advice to Bivol: don’t be late because every day something changes.”

Meanwhile, Benavidez's promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, had noted he was more than prepared for a purse bid for the rights to Bivol vs. Benavidez. Lewkowicz also said he would have been willing to work with Alalshikh on a potential bout between Bivol and Benavidez.

"So we'll go to a purse bid," Lewkowicz said. "Trust me that I'm well prepared with PBC to get [the fight] because over here in America, we can do [a] partnership with them in Las Vegas. We can make that together. I have no problem to work with them together, but I will not kiss his ring."

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Nathaniel Marrero
NATHANIEL MARRERO

Nathaniel Marrero is a writer for the Boxing, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Ravens On SI sites. He's also written for the Orlando Sentinel and MLB.com, and was a part of UCF's sports show, Hitting The Field. He attended UCF and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023. Twitter/X: Nate_Marrero

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