Whoi is Michael Eifert?
Unified WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) returns to the ring to face his IBF mandatory challenger, Michael Eifert (13-1, 5 KOs), on May 30 in Yekaterinburg, Russia, topping an RCC Boxing card at the UGMK Arena in Russia.
Bivol is coming off surgery and will fulfill his mandatory defence for the International Boxing Federation against Eifert, a German contender who has steadily climbed the ranks to earn his shot.
The event will take place in a venue with a capacity of 12,000 spectators.
Now 33, Bivol rose to superstardom in 2022 when he decisively defeated Saul Álvarez, who had been unbeaten for nine years. Later, he engaged in one of the division’s most significant rivalries with Artur Beterbiev, where, after an initial loss, a victory in the rematch saw him crowned as undisputed.
He then vacated the WBC belt in April 2025 following an order to defend against David Benavidez. Bivol chose not to make that defence to prioritise a trilogy against Beterbiev.
But Bivol now puts the unified championship on the line instead to mandatory challenger Eifart, who lands the biggest opportunity of his career.
Considered a rising contender, the German has built up many consistent results on the European circuit to earn his status as the mandatory challenger.
But who is the relatively unknown contender? BBN found out as many facts about the German below:
Who is Michael Eifert?
Michael was born a day before New Years Eve on 30th December 1997 in Bautzen, Germany.
His boxing alias is "Diesel".
The 28-year-old stands at 5' 11½".
Eifert made his professional debut on 18th June 2018 in Bad Toelz, Germany, defeating Poland's Przemyslaw Binienda by unanimous decision over four-rounds.
He has lost just once in his eight-year pro career, to fellow German Tom Dzemski, who was 17-0 at the time of their August 2020 fight, which ended in scores of 76-77 x2, 76-76. However, Eifert avenged the loss less than a year later - once again ending in a mixed decision - to capture WBC and IBF Youth light-heavyweight titles.
His career-best win came in March 2023 against two-time world champion Jean Pascal in Canada, winning via unanimous decision. That fine victory earned him the IBF mandatory status.
Durng his 14-fight career, he has won five titles at light-heavyweight - WBC, IBF, WBO Youth, German, IBF Inter-Continental.
He is ranked IBF #1, and WBA #6.
Michael has been sparring Sergey Kovalev in preparation for his world title shot.
He and his wife, Lillia Radzvyliuk, have three sons together. Their third son, Artur, was only just born in January 2026.
DID YOU KNOW? The IBO light-heavyweight world title in Bivol's possession was created 33 years ago in 1993 and has been held by the likes of Roy Jones Jr, Antonio Tarvar, Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson.
