Will the selfish promoters prevent the Bivol-Beterbiev fight? Arum hates Hearn and likes to keep things in-house, and Hearn may want Bivol to take on UK fighters.
Only Hearn can block that fight. Beterbiev and Bivol will fight for undisputed, Hearn will be only problem
It's quite possible that the fight will never take place due to the promotional divide. Bob is no angel, but he has no real reason to shield Beterbiev, who is a non-star of advancing age. Any major impediments will come from the side of Hearn, who has uses for Bivol and whose serpentine practices are becoming transparent to all but the most ardently zealous, stubborn or obtuse 'Wilder/Fury ducked Joshua' theorists.
Both have shown they will work together. Issue is Bivols profile now eclipses betervbiev and bobbdoesnt want to lose power of that fight. He’s now fighting Yarde in a fight Bob doesn’t have to pay for as AB doesn’t draw. He then goes to Ramadan and not available until August onwards. He’s now been made to face his mandatory in Callum Smith next so what’s Bivol Theo do wait until 2024? Beterbiev or top rank are the reason for the fight not happening. He could have fought Bivol in Abu Dhabi last week as it was offered to him but chose to take the easy Yarde fight
After the Smith fight, Beterbiev point blank said he wants a unification fight. Also, if he doesn't face Yarde he loses his WBO belt. What part of boxing mandatory challenges do people not understand? Beterbiev has 3 belts so he has 3 obligations, defences and mantories to 3 different boxing organisations. If he doesn't face Bivol he gets tied up against Smith (WBC) and then the IBF #1 challenger afterwards. All of them offer low money, low prestige and are banana skins potentially for an ageing Beterbiev. So tell me, why wouldn't he want a unification fight ASAP? He is on record multiple times saying he wants it.
