Russian Sanctions may prevent Dmitry Bivol from getting Paid

(John Locher / Associated Press)

Dmitry Bivol, who defeated Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on Saturday in Las Vegas, says he is yet to get paid for one of the biggest boxing upsets of the year.

“It hasn’t come yet,” he told Russian news outlet Tass.

Bivol, a Kyrgyzstan-born Russian who trains in California but lives in St. Petersburg, was not allowed to bring his national flag or sing the Russian national song into the T-Mobile Arena.

In light of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, a variety of restrictions have been imposed on Russian athletes.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, more than 12 million people have been displaced as several cities around the country have been shelled. According to the United Nations, almost 3,000 civilians have been murdered there.

FIFA and UEFA have banned Russian soccer clubs and national teams from competing in their competitions “in full sympathy with all those affected in Ukraine.” Tennis, swimming, and Formula One have all taken similar measures.

In Russian, Tass asked Bivol if “getting a price for this battle in light of the current scenario is technically problematic.”

“I believe it will be quite difficult,” Bivol stated, before adding that the fight fee had not yet arrived.

“We’ll keep thinking about it. We didn’t plan ahead because the scenario is constantly changing.”

“This will be your headache,” Bivol said he told his manager Vadim Kornilov, who was never far from his side throughout the fight week in Las Vegas.

FightBookMMA reached out to DAZN and Matchroom, the businesses responsible for broadcasting and promoting the event, for comment on Bivol’s salary, but received no immediate response.