Callum Smith Says Bivol Title Fight Is Set — But the WBO Holds the Key

Callum Smith says his mandatory shot at Dmitry Bivol is essentially done — it's just not on paper yet. The Liverpudlian, 31-2 (22 KO) and ranked #2 at light heavyweight, has been ordered to face Bivol, with Saturday, December 12 the target date at the UMMC Arena in Yekaterinburg. The holdup? One decision from the WBO.

Bivol, 25-1 (12 KO) and holder of three of the four major belts, hasn't fought since a unanimous-decision win over Michael Eifert in May — a bout in which he defended his WBA (Super) and IBF titles but not the WBO. The reason: the sanctioning body declined to green-light that defense on Russian soil, citing the war in Ukraine. That same question now hangs over Bivol-Smith.

Why It's Not Official Yet

Speaking on 'The Smith Brothers: Not A Podcast,' Smith explained that everything is agreed in principle but the parties are still waiting on the WBO to sanction a fight in Russia. He said he's hearing the governing body will allow it this time, even though it refused for the Eifert bout. Until that confirmation lands, no formal announcement is coming.

It's a strange spot for a fighter this deep into his career. Smith is coming off a unanimous-decision win over Joshua Buatsi — a result that reasserted him as the division's clear number two — and he's finally landed the shot his ranking demanded. The paperwork, not the matchmaking, is the obstacle.

The Bigger Picture

For Bivol, Smith is a detour with a purpose. The 35-year-old had been linked to a trilogy with Artur Beterbiev, but chose to clear his WBO mandatory first, with that third meeting pencilled in for April 2027. Beterbiev, now 21-1 (20 KO), lost their rematch by decision, so the champion is picking his path from a position of control.

That means Smith isn't just fighting for a belt in December — he's fighting to blow up someone else's roadmap. Beat Bivol in his own backyard and the Beterbiev trilogy talk evaporates overnight. First, though, a governing body in a boardroom has to say yes.