Despite Turki’s Warning, Benavidez vs. Bivol Could Still Happen

Sources from ESPN Knockout report that Matchroom Boxing and Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) are nearing a deal for a light heavyweight showdown between undisputed champion Dmitry Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) and WBO interim & WBA "regular" champion David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs).

No official date or further details have been disclosed yet, but it is expected that this fight will take place outside the Riyadh Season tournaments.

This comes after Turki Alalshikh, head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, publicly warned Bivol against taking the fight. In response, Bivol posted a photo on Instagram, stating that he is "waiting for his next challenge with his best team"—notably tagging Turki Alalshikh in the post.