The promoters for three-belt light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and his WBO No. 1 contender Callum Smith have struck a deal for their mandatory bout.
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri confirmed the news in a post on X, stating an announcement on a date and location for the contest would come from the involved parties in due course.
An official close to negotiations told BoxingScene that the fight will take place on December 12 in Russia, the home nation of champion Bivol.
England’s Smith, 31-2 (22 KOs), elevated to the top WBO spot by defeating Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision on the February 2025 card when Bivol avenged a prior loss to undisputed light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev by majority decision in Saudi Arabia.
Russia’s Bivol, 25-1 (12 KOs), later underwent back surgery, returning to the ring on May 30 to dispose of IBF mandatory Michael Eifert by unanimous decision in Russia.
Beterbiev, 41, has been sidelined since the Bivol bout and pushing for a trilogy bout that now will be further delayed while the remaining light-heavyweight champion, David Benavidez, is moving toward a mid-December defense of his WBA/WBO cruiserweight titles versus Michal Cieslak in Arizona.