Dmitry Bivol has made the decision to vacate his WBC light-heavyweight title, paving the way for a trilogy fight against long-time rival, Artur Beterbiev. This move comes shortly after Bivol unified the division by defeating Beterbiev in their February rematch, where he secured all four major belts via majority decision in a closely contested bout.

The announcement was made just before a scheduled purse bid for a mandatory defense against David Benavidez, the WBC interim champion. Rather than fulfilling this obligation, Bivol chose to drop the title and focus on settling his rivalry with Beterbiev. Their series currently stands at one win each, as Beterbiev won on their first meeting last October before Bivol avenged that loss earlier this year.

The decision has been deemed somewhat controversial by many, including WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, who voiced dissatisfaction with how the situation has played out. Following Bivol’s decision, Benavidez has been promoted to full WBC champion status. With an undefeated record of 30 wins, Benavidez now steps into a new role as one of the division’s top fighters.

The trilogy bout between Bivol and Beterbiev is scheduled to take place later this year, potentially in October. Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, who was instrumental in organizing their previous matches, is expected to oversee this event as well.

Bivol’s choice to pursue a third fight with Beterbiev means winning a rivalry is a lot more important to him than a chance to extend his reign as undisputed champion. Benavidez’s camp remains optimistic about a potential future matchup with Bivol if he successfully defeats Beterbiev.

For now, Bivol retains his WBA, IBF, and WBO titles as he prepares for what could be one of the most anticipated fights of the year. Benavidez, meanwhile, begins his reign as WBC champion with potential matchups against contenders such as Callum Smith and David Morrell looming on the horizon.