Dmitry Bivol will defend his WBO light-heavyweight title against Callum Smith in December 2026, with a third fight against Artur Beterbiev targeted for April 2027. Victory over Smith in Yekaterinburg remains required to keep the trilogy plans intact.
The upcoming December contest represents Bivol’s second outing of 2026. He previously returned to action in Russia during May, earning a points decision against Michael Eifert in his first defence since becoming a two-time 175lb champion. Liverpool’s Smith now steps up as the mandatory challenger, attempting to dethrone the pound-for-pound star on foreign soil. The fight in Yekaterinburg remains subject to the WBO granting permission for a title defense on Russian territory, a request the sanctioning body previously rejected for the Eifert contest.
Smith brings former super-middleweight world championship experience to the contest, maintaining the ability to create an upset. Still, many supporters had expressed disappointment that a third contest against Beterbiev was not scheduled for the end of this year.
Speaking on the Dovish Borca 5 podcast, German Titov, chief executive of RCC Boxing Promotions, explained the reasoning behind the timing. Titov confirmed that Bivol and Beterbiev were initially considered for a December rematch elsewhere in Russia. However, accepting that contest before fulfilling his obligation against Smith would have resulted in Bivol losing his WBO belt. Bivol refused to surrender his title status, making the Smith mandatory the priority.
As a result, promoter focus has shifted to the first half of 2027. The third meeting between Bivol and Beterbiev is now lined up for April 2027 at the RMK Arena in Chelyabinsk. The 8,000-capacity venue, designed specifically for combat sports, basketball, and volleyball, is due for completion in the spring. Bivol must first secure victory over Smith in December for the landmark arena opening to go ahead as planned.
