It's official: Bivol defends his belts against Callum Smith in Russia on December 12

After months of back and forth, Dmitry Bivol finally has his next fight. The unified light heavyweight champion will face Britain's Callum Smith on December 12 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

THE DEAL IS DONE

Bivol's promoters announced that talks with Smith's team are closed and the contract is signed. Smith is the WBO's mandatory challenger and holds the WBO interim title, so this is the fight the WBO has been waiting for.

There is one question mark. Bivol's last fight, against Michael Eifert in Ekaterinburg in May, was not sanctioned by the WBO because it took place in Russia. It is not yet clear whether the WBO will sanction this one, so watch this space on exactly which belts are on the line. There was talk of moving the fight to Monaco, but Bivol's team says it is staying in Ekaterinburg.

HOW BIVOL GOT HERE

Bivol lost to Artur Beterbiev in October 2024, then beat him in their February 2025 rematch to become undisputed champion. An elbow injury that needed surgery then kept him out for more than a year. He returned in May and beat Eifert by a wide unanimous decision, dropping him with a left hook in the first round.

SMITH'S SECOND SHOT AT GLORY

Smith, a former super middleweight world champion, wants to become a two-weight world champion. His only two losses came against Canelo Alvarez and Artur Beterbiev, so he knows what it is like to share a ring with the very best.

WHAT ABOUT BETERBIEV?

Fans have been calling for Bivol vs Beterbiev 3 for over a year. In July, Umar Kremlev, president of the IBA, said Bivol had been offered double his purse from each of the first two fights, and that Beterbiev would fight for free. "The world is waiting," he said. Bivol's team never accepted. With Smith now booked, a trilogy is unlikely before mid-2027. Unbeaten David Benavidez is another name that keeps coming up.

THE RECORDS

Dmitry Bivol is 25-1 (12 KOs). Callum Smith is 31-2. Artur Beterbiev is 21-1, and David Benavidez is 32-0.

Who wins on December 12, Bivol or Smith? Tell us in the FightRec live chat.