Men's boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Bivol is ba...
Key takeaways
- Bivol had last fought in February 2025, when he avenged his loss to Artur Beterbiev with a majority decision victory to unify all four major belts and become the undisputed champion at 175 pounds.
- In his return to the ring, Bivol showed little sign of rust, dropping Eifert with a left hook in the opening round and controlling the action from start to finish.
- With the victory, Bivol returns to the pound-for-pound rankings at No. 6.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images ESPNMultiple Authors Jun 3, 2026, 07:54 AM ETEmail Print Open Extended Reactions Unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol defeated Michael Eifert by unanimous decision on May 30 in Ekaterinburg, Russia, in his first fight after a 15-month layoff following back surgery.
Bivol had last fought in February 2025, when he avenged his loss to Artur Beterbiev with a majority decision victory to unify all four major belts and become the undisputed champion at 175 pounds. Two months later, Bivol relinquished the WBC title to pursue a trilogy bout with Beterbiev rather than face mandatory challenger David Benavidez.
In his return to the ring, Bivol showed little sign of rust, dropping Eifert with a left hook in the opening round and controlling the action from start to finish. Using his trademark jab, combinations and body punching, Bivol dominated the remainder of the fight and earned scores of 120-107 on all three judges' cards.