- Matchroom has confirmed Dmitry Bivol against Callum Smith for 12 December at the UMMC Arena in Yekaterinburg, Russia, after the WBO sanctioned the fight
- The bout is Bivol's WBO mandatory defence, and a Smith win would shut the door on any Bivol and Artur Beterbiev trilogy
- My prediction is Bivol by wide unanimous decision, with Smith's only real hope being to turn it into a messy fight on the inside
Bivol v Smith Is Finally Confirmed
Right then. After weeks of waiting, the light heavyweight fight we were told was coming has its date. Matchroom has confirmed that Dmitry Bivol will make his WBO mandatory defence against Callum Smith on 12 December at the UMMC Arena in Yekaterinburg, the same venue where Bivol beat Michael Eifert back in May. Let's not beat around the bush: this has dragged on far too long, and it is good to see it done.
If you have followed the story on this site, you will know the terms were agreed at the start of September. The hold-up was the WBO. The sanctioning body has not approved title fights in Russia since 2022, and they left their belt off the Eifert fight for that reason. They have now changed their rules and signed this one off. Whatever you think of how long it took, the fight is on, and that is what matters.
Why Bivol Is Levels Above
Make no mistake, this is a tough assignment for Smith. Bivol is 25-1 with 12 knockouts, and the only man to beat him is Artur Beterbiev, who then lost the rematch. That is a champion who has been to the very top of the division and come out the other side with his reputation intact.
What makes Bivol so hard to beat is his control. He fights at his own pace, keeps a sharp jab in your face, turns away from danger and lets you punch yourself out. Watch his rematch win over Beterbiev and his May decision over Eifert and you see a fighter who never panics. If you know, you know: he wins rounds you barely notice until you add up the scorecards.
What Smith Brings
Smith is a brilliant, proper fighter, and I will give him full credit. At 31-2 with 22 knockouts, he has a heavy body shot, a long frame and the experience of fighting at the top level. His win over Joshua Buatsi in February 2025 showed he can still do the job at 175 pounds. He was due to face David Morrell in April before an injury forced him out, so the layoff question hangs over him too.
The problem for Smith is simple. Bivol is a master of distance and timing. He boxes smart, he is well drilled, and he does not give away rounds. Smith will need to land that left hook downstairs early and often, and I just do not see him getting enough of them to change the picture.
My Prediction
Bivol by unanimous decision, and I expect it to be wide. Smith will have his moments in the middle rounds, but the champion will tighten up, win the late rounds and take it comfortably. There is a bigger story hiding in this one too. A Smith win would put paid to any trilogy talk with Beterbiev, so there is plenty riding on 12 December.
One more thing to watch: the location. Yekaterinburg again means plenty of conversation about the optics, and I expect it to dominate the build-up. Expect the fight week noise to be louder than the fight itself, but in the ring Bivol is the class act, and he will prove it.