Artur Beterbiev Blames Dmitry Bivol For Trilogy Delay, Questions When Third Fight Will Ever Happen

Artur Beterbiev posted on Instagram today, stating that Dmitry Bivol is the reason their trilogy match has been delayed.

Trilogy Fight Stalled by Bivol

The former undisputed light heavyweight champion Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) says he wanted the trilogy match to occur soon after their second fight last February in Riyadh. However, Beterbiev heard that Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) wanted the contest to take place in “late Autumn and then the end of the year.”

Now, Beterbiev isn’t sure when Bivol wants the third fight to happen. There was a report yesterday on X about Bivol-Beterbiev taking place in 2026 in Russia. However, Beterbiev didn’t mention that in his post, which could suggest that the news lacked validity.

Beterbiev’s Age a Bivol Tactic?

In Artur’s Instagram post, he asks Bivol, “How old do I have to be so we can have a third fight?” Beterbiev is 40 years old, and his comment to Bivol suggests that he’s being aged out by the unified champion so that he’s less of a threat.

Beterbiev says his coach and doctor were against the idea of him taking the second fight with Bivol last February, so soon after his operation for a torn meniscus. He wound up losing to Dmitry by a 12-round majority decision by the scores 115-113, 116-112, and 114-114.

Beterbiev’s mobility wasn’t the same in the fight as it had been in their previous one last October. You could tell that his surgically operated knee limited his ability to cut off the ring on Bivol, who used a lot of movement with his hit-and-run style of fighting.

Beterbiev Questions Bivol’s Delays

“The day after the first fight, we agreed on a rematch, which was to take place within four months, despite the fact that I was after the operation, and my coach and doctor were categorically against such an early rematch,” said Artur Beterbiev on Instragram today, discussing why his third fight with Dmitry Bivol has been delayed.

“After the second fight, I immediately showed interest in an early third fight, and at first there were rumors about the fight in August, but my opponent [Bivol] said in an interview that he wanted to hold it in late autumn, then – at the end of the year, and now – it is completely unknown when.

“Dima, how old do I have to be so that we can fight for the third time?” said Beterbiev, sending a message to Dmitry Bivol.