Dmitry Bivol vs. Callum Smith is finally official — December 12 at the UMCC Arena in Yekaterinburg, Russia, with Bivol's WBA, IBF, and WBO 175-pound titles all on the line.
It took a minute to get here. The two camps cut a deal back in August, but the WBO had to be talked into sanctioning Russian soil — they refused it for Bivol's May defense against Michael Eifert, which went ahead as a non-title bout. This time, all three belts made the poster. RCC Boxing and Matchroom co-promote; DAZN carries it.
Both men are 25-1 and both are coming off the shelf. Smith (25-1) hasn't fought since beating Joshua Buatsi in February 2025 — a rib injury killed his April date with David Morrell. Bivol (25-1) spent 15 months out after back surgery following his Beterbiev revenge win, came back to dominate Eifert, then went under the knife again for his elbow in July. Win, and the Beterbiev rubber match is next — with David Benavidez hovering over the whole division.
The DAOS take: two 25-1 punchers, three belts, December in Russia. Rust vs. rust, legacy vs. legacy. This is the kind of fight that reminds you why you fell in love with the sport.
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Sources: talkSPORT
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