Dmitry Bivol’s WBO Title Not at Stake vs Michael Eifert on May 30

WBO declines to sanction bout in Russia while WBA and IBF belts remain on the line

Dmitry Bivol’s WBO light heavyweight title will not be on the line when he faces Michael Eifert on May 30 in Yekaterinburg. The WBO confirmed it will not sanction the fight under its policy tied to events in Russia.

The decision was made by the WBO due to the ongoing conflict involving Russia and Ukraine, with president Gustavo Olivieri confirming the move in a letter obtained by The Ring.

The WBA and IBF titles, along with The Ring championship at 175 pounds, will still be contested.

It feels like a case of consistent inconsistency from the sanctioning bodies. The WBO is sticking to its 2022 resolution regarding events in Russia, which we’ve seen play out before, but the timing feels a bit off.

It is a strange look for the sport when a fighter is recognized as the champion by an organization, yet that same organization refuses to let him defend the belt.

By not stripping Bivol, the WBO avoids the backlash of taking a belt from an active, elite champion outside the ring. However, by not sanctioning the bout, they essentially create a “ghost title” for one night.

We saw a similar situation with Artur Beterbiev when the WBC refused to sanction his fights because of his Russian ties, yet he remained their champion while fighting under the Canadian flag.

For Bivol, this has to be frustrating. He’s already expressed his sadness over the conflict, noting he has friends and family on both sides. Having his homecoming fight, his first after a major back surgery, diminished by a sanctioning technicality, adds a layer of promotional stress he probably didn’t need during camp.

Ultimately, fans know who the champion is, and the WBA and IBF are still putting their hardware on the line. It does make you wonder, though: if the WBO won’t sanction the fight because of the location, why not just insist the fight move to a neutral venue like Riyadh or Cairo?

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