Bivol ordered to face WBO mandatory.
Dmitry Bivol is undoubtedly one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, the best light-heavyweight currently fighting, and one of the defining talents of our era.
Early last year, he defeated Artur Beterbiev to become the undisputed champion at 175 pounds, putting yet another name on one of the best single-weight résumés in the sport.
After being out of the ring for a while due to back surgery, Bivol returned in May to take care of mandatory challenger Michael Eifert, providing a typically clever display to befuddle his foe to a wide points defeat.
Inevitably, discussion turned to who he would be fighting next, and there were multiple potential candidates in that regard. Many, of course, wanted the Beterbiev trilogy, while others would have liked a showdown with David Benavidez.
Ahead of that, though, Bivol has more mandatory obligations to fulfil, and now he has been ordered to defend his unified crown against the WBO’s top contender.
That just so happens to be Callum Smith, the former super-middleweight champion and current WBO interim light-heavyweight beltholder.
Smith was due to defend that title against David Morrell this April. However, Smith would pull out with an injury, and the fight was cancelled as a whole.
Morrell would go on to lose in a shocking upset to Zak Chelli. And as a result, the Morrell fight was gone, and Smith immediately found another title opportunity coming his way.
Bivol and Smith have 20 days to reach a deal before purse bids are called.
The WBO have officially ordered Dmitry Bivol to defend his light heavyweight world title against ‘interim’ champion, Callum Smith.
The parties have 20 days to reach terms, and if a deal isn’t agreed in that time, the bout will go to purse bids.
Bivol also holds The Ring, IBF,… pic.twitter.com/HMSwgFYQwG
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 6, 2026
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