“I think he likes the Bivol fight. That’s a fight we’re discussing with Luis De Cubas,” Hearn told Fight Hub TV.
Bivol currently holds the WBA, IBF and WBO titles at 175 pounds, while Benavidez holds the WBC belt he claimed earlier this year. If completed, the fight will crown one undisputed champion in one of boxing’s strongest divisions.
The timing still depends on both men handling emerging cases. Benavidez is scheduled to face Gilberto Ramirez on May 2 in Las Vegas for the cruiserweight titles, while Bivol will defend against Michael Eifert on May 30 in Russia.
Hearn also praised Benavidez’s ambition during the interview, saying the undefeated champion is chasing legacy fights rather than easy options.
“We need guys like that who want to be great, and that’s what we want.”
If both favorites win their next fights, the pressure will be on for Bivol vs. Benavidez just keeps growing.
The story surrounding Bivol has definitely shifted from invincible technician to a man managing a physical decline. The back surgery he underwent in August 2025 to repair a herniated disc is the real red flag here. He admitted it was a decades-old issue that eventually became intractable during training camp, and at 35, that kind of structural repair rarely returns a fighter to 100% mobility.
When you factor in the physical toll of those 24 rounds with Beterbiev, the toughest puncher in the sport’s history, Bivol has endured more trauma in the past two years than in the previous ten combined. It makes perfect sense why Benavidez would consider him a prime target.
While Bivol is determined to take an IBF mandatory against Michael Eifert on May 30 just to keep his belts, Benavidez is actively building momentum in a higher weight class.
