The WBO has ordered undisputed light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol to submit verified medical proof of the back injury and surgery he revealed last week. In a formal letter to manager Vadim Kornilov, the WBO Championship Committee gave Bivol ten days to provide a detailed diagnosis, recovery plan, and a physician’s clearance timeline.
Bivol hasn’t defended since avenging Artur Beterbiev on February 22 to become lineal/WBA/IBF/WBO champion. He’s already under IBF pressure to satisfy overdue mandatory Michael Eifert; the surgery halted purse-bid momentum there, and now the WBO wants transparency as it tries to “keep the line moving” at 175lbs. Interim titleholder Callum Smith could be positioned for an upgrade depending on what Bivol submits and when he’s cleared.
The WBO stressed respect for Bivol’s “exemplary” reign while underscoring the need for consistency across champions. The WBA has not commented. Bivol previously vacated the WBC belt rather than face interim titlist David Benavidez, a move widely read as clearing the path for a Beterbiev trilogy before talks fizzled amid Bivol’s undisclosed health issues.
With Beterbiev now booked for a stay-busy bout on the November 22 Riyadh show headlined by Benavidez–Yarde, the next moves hinge on Bivol’s paperwork. If the medical exception is granted, he keeps his seats at the table. If not, the sanctioning bodies have laid the groundwork to reshuffle the division in his absence.
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