The Russian light heavyweight champion is set to take on Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in May
Former heavyweight champion boxing brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko have called on the sport's authorities to prohibit Russian light heavyweight Dmitry Bivol from facing pound-for-pound king Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in May amid Russia's military operation in Ukraine.
A host of sporting bodies have suspended Russian and Belarusian athletes from being able to take part in international events after a recommendation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
When asked on BBC Radio 5 Live whether WBA ruler Bivol should be allowed to defend his WBA title against Alvarez, in a money-spinning bout on Cinco do Mayo weekend that will reportedly pay him a minimum of $2 million and 30% of pay-per-view buys on streaming platform DAZN, Wladimir Klitschko answered with a firm "absolutely not".
"Every sanction... and it's nothing against the personalities or athletes, it's about the politics of Russia... every Russian representative in this case needs to be sanctioned," Wladimir added.
"It is important that this boxer is forbidden from fighting in America, just as all Russian athletes are being banned from international competition," Wladimir also reportedly said elsewhere, calling on the US government to intervene.
???????? ¡Es oficial! #CaneloBivol Pelearé este próximo 07 de mayo contra Dmitry Bivol por el Campeonato Mundial de la WBA Semicompleto en las 175 lb. Próximamente confirmaremos la sede.
Despite resisting a blanket ban on Russian boxers, boxing bodies such as the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO announced they will no longer sanction title bouts in the country until "further assessment of the situation" in a joint statement last month.
Even this development could affect Bivol's career and that of fellow champion Artur Beterbiev, whom Canelo might be keen on taking on next given he owns two other pieces of the 175lbs crown awarded by the IBF and WBC.
Bivol last defended his WBA light heavyweight title against Umar Salamov in Ekaterinburg in December, while Montreal-based Beterbiev last fought in Russia in March 2021 when knocking out Adam Deines in the 10th round of a Moscow show at the Khodynka Ice Palace.
Beterbiev should meet the division's other champion in WBO top dog Joe Smith Jr. in New York in June, but both this bout and the Bivol versus Canelo fight will be thrown on the scrapheap if the sport's authorities follow the Klitschkos' and the IOC's advice.
Even under the current measures, though, both a Canelo-Beterbiev unification showdown and a potential undisputed match between Russian fighters Bivol and Beterbiev, if they get past Alvarez and Smith Jr, must take place overseas and most likely in the US or Canada.
Mayor of Kiev Vitali Klitschko and his brother Wladmir, who signed up for the reserve army, have both opted to remain in Ukraine amid the ongoing military operation by Russia.
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