The WBO have confirmed that unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol will be ordered to defend his title against WBO interim titleholder Callum Smith.
Bivol has not fought since defeating Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed title in their rematch in February 2025. Since that contest Bivol was ordered to defend his WBC belt against mandatory challenger David Benavidez but was stripped after deciding to pursue a trilogy with Beterbiev instead. Bivol then suffered a back injury that has kept him out of the ring ever since.
The mandatories are now stacking up for Bivol, who will return next week (May 30) against leading IBF challenger Michael Eifert in Russia. Should he be successful as expected, WBO president Gustavo Olivieri has announced they will “enforce [Callum] Smith as Mandatory for [Dmitry] Bivol.”
Smith had been due to face David Morrell in April with the winner taking on Bivol later this year. An injury to Smith forced him out of the bout and Morrell elected to fight Zak Chelli on May 9 in what should have been a routine win. Chelli, in a major upset, stopped Morrell in the 10th round.
Olivieri also announced that should Bivol choose to not face his mandatory, then Smith would fight “the next highest available ranked contender” for the vacant belt.
