The shifting light heavyweight landscape in Riyadh

Beterbiev and Bivol prepare for rematch

The February 22 rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol in Riyadh defines the light heavyweight situation. Bivol won their first encounter via decision, prompting Beterbiev to seek the undisputed crown in this second meeting. This event, titled "The Last Crescendo," includes several title fights. Joshua Buatsi defends his WBO interim light heavyweight title against Callum Smith. Buatsi holds a 19-0 record with 13 knockouts, while Smith possesses 30 wins and 22 knockouts. The first fight resulted in a majority decision for Beterbiev, where one judge scored the bout as a draw and the others scored it 116-112 and 115-113. Beterbiev, age 39, holds a 21-0 record and maintains a 100% knockout rate. Bivol, age 33, holds a 23-1 record and previously defeated Canelo Alvarez. Bivol also won a decision over Lyndon Arthur in December. After stopping Callum Smith in the seventh round in January, Beterbiev had to deal with a ruptured meniscus in training because of the injury. The bout occurs in the Kingdom Arena.

Benavidez targets the division leaders

David Benavidez remains a dominant force in the division despite his recent move to the cruiserweight class. Benavidez, who holds a 30-0 record with 24 knockouts, defeated David Morrell on February 1. He intends to challenge Gilberto Ramirez for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles before returning to face Bivol or Beterbiev. You know the fighters well enough, so focus on the shifting belts. Benavidez stays the WBC mandatory challenger. His manager, Sampson Lewkowicz, says the fighter seeks titles to build his legacy. Benavidez plans to fight Zurto Ramirez first, then Bivol, and finally Beterbiev. This 29-year-old fighter aims to achieve three big fights to assert himself as the face of boxing. He became the youngest super-middleweight champion in history at age 20. Benavidez previously defeated Ronald Gavril in February 2018. He wants to avoid any doubt about his status through these consecutive bouts. He also aims to be the first man to knock out fellow champions to secure his legacy in the sport. He plans to continue his momentum from his victory over Morrell to establish himself as the premier fighter in the 175-pound weight class.

Sanctioning bodies disagree on mandatories

The light heavyweight title picture remains fractured because the WBO and IBF enforce different mandatory challenger rotations. The WBO states the winner of the Buatsi and Smith fight will become the next challenger for the undisputed champion. The IBF identifies Michael Eifert as the top contender. Meanwhile, the WBC names Benavidez as the mandatory challenger for the Beterbiev and Bivol winner. This conflict between sanctioning bodies leaves the undisputed champion with three distinct paths to defend the belt. The WBO president, Gustavo Olivieri, claims that a unified interim champion status does not place a fighter at the front of the line for a title shot against the undisputed champion. This disagreement creates significant confusion for the fighter who eventually wins the undisputed crown in Riyadh. The WBO organization maintains that the Buatsi or Smith winner follows Eifert in the hierarchy after the current champion satisfies his mandatory obligations, which creates a stalemate. The IBF previously presented a negotiation order for Beterbiev to deal with Eifert following his October victory. This administrative split between the organizations makes finding a clear path to a single undisputed king quite difficult for the division. The division includes Beterbiev, Bivol, Benavidez, Michael Eifert, and the winner of the Buatsi vs. Smith fight. Will the champion follow the IBF or the WBO?