Dmitry Bivol suffers a change of venue on his return to the ring
Russian Bivol will return to the ring in 2026 after being sidelined with an injury since last year
Boxer Dmitry Bivol will defend his light heavyweight world titles in a different location than originally planned for his next fight. Although the fight against challenger Michael Eifert was initially scheduled to take place in Egypt in May, the organizers decided to move the event to Russia. The bout for the World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation, and World Boxing Organization titles will be held in Ekaterinburg. For Dmitry Bivol, this change represents an opportunity to fight in front of his home crowd for the first time since late 2021, when he defeated Umar Salamov in the same region.
Details of the champion's return to action
Boxer Dmitry Bivol returns to action after overcoming a year-long period of inactivity due to surgery for a herniated disc performed in 2025. His last official appearance was a victory against Artur Beterbiev in February of last year, a result that kept him at the top of the international rankings at 175 pounds.
Although the World Boxing Council attempted to arrange a fight between Dmitry Bivol and David Benavidez, the champion opted to fulfill his regulatory obligations.
This decision forced a reorganization of his sporting schedule to prioritize the defense of his current titles against the German challenger who had been waiting for his turn since 2023.
Challenger's situation and fight expectations
Michael Eifert comes into this fight with a record of 13 wins and one loss, having secured his position as mandatory challenger after defeating Jean Pascal. However, Dmitry Bivol's opponent has only fought once in the last three years, which raises doubts about his fighting rhythm against an opponent with greater international standing.
According to reports from the specialized website Rings de Boxeo, the constant changes to the date and location of the event were due to the organizers' logistical priorities.
Dmitry Bivol's team confirmed that the 35-year-old fighter is in the final stages of his preparation to headline this independent fight card in his home country.