Bivol Sets December 12 Defense Against Callum Smith

Dmitry Bivol will defend his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight titles against mandatory challenger Callum Smith on December 12 at UMMC Arena in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Bivol, 35, returns to the venue where he beat IBF mandatory Michael Eifert by unanimous decision on May 30. He became undisputed champion by beating Artur Beterbiev in their February 2025 rematch, then vacated the WBC title and had back surgery before the Eifert fight.

Smith, 36, is a former WBA middleweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">super middleweight champion and the WBO interim light heavyweight titleholder. He is challenging for a light heavyweight world title for the second time, having been stopped by Beterbiev in round seven in January 2024. He then beat Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision in February 2025. Smith withdrew from an April 2026 fight with David Morrell Jr. because of injury and comes in after nearly 22 months out.