The IBF has ordered an auction for the fight between light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on February 3.
For light heavyweight Michael Eifert (13-1-0, 5 knockouts), the long-awaited title fight against Dmitry Bivol could now become a reality after all. The IBF has ordered a purse bid for the match between the “Mandatory” from Germany and the Russian champion for February 3.
Title withdrawal threatens
As the BoxingScene portal reports, Bivol could be stripped of his title if he does not face his mandatory challenger from the SES stable. Eifert has been entitled to a fight against the IBF world champion since March 2023, when he surprisingly defeated former champion Jean Pascal by unanimous decision on points in an eliminator in Canada.
In addition to the IBF belt, Bivol also holds the WBO and WBA belts and competes for promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable. The 35-year-old last stood in the ring in February 2025, defeating his rival Artur Beterbiev and crowning himself Undisputed Champion at the limit. Since then, Bivol has repeatedly struggled with injuries. “Dmitry wants to start training again in February,” his manager Vadim Kornilov recently explained. “If everything feels good, we want to return with the IBF Mandatory.”
Is the “Neverending Story” coming to an end?
Michael Eifert’s last ring appearance was even longer ago. In August 2024, the 28-year-old defeated Carlos Jimenez from Venezuela by T.K.O. in the second round in Magdeburg. Now Eifert, promoter Ulf Steinforth and manager Benedikt Poelchau are hoping for a resounding success in the “never-ending story” of a world championship fight against Bivol.
The IBF mandatory fight between Bivol and Eifert had already been scheduled for 2025, but was then postponed due to a back injury suffered by the Russian. The two camps now have until February 3 to reach an agreement before a purse bid is opened by the IBF.
Text: Frank Schwantes