Dmitry Bivol will defend his unified light-heavyweight championship against Callum Smith on 12 December 2026 in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Boxing News reported Matchroom’s official announcement on 12 October.
The fight is set for the UMMC Arena, where Bivol defeated Michael Eifert in May. Smith enters as the WBO mandatory challenger at 175 lb; Bivol holds the WBA, WBO and IBF titles.
For Smith, this is another opportunity after his stoppage defeat to Artur Beterbiev in January 2024. His subsequent victory over Joshua Buatsi put him back in the conversation. For Bivol, it is another mandatory defence after reclaiming the championship against Beterbiev in February 2025.
The date and matchup are announced. A possible third Bivol–Beterbiev fight remains a separate future prospect, not part of this confirmation.
Companion report to our 14 October news briefing; published on the website on 17 October.
Watch the companion video on YouTube ↗
For the record
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