Dmitry Bivol will enter the ring at UMMC Arena to defend his unified light heavyweight titles against Callum Smith on Dec. 12 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
Bivol (25-1, 12 KOs) enters the fight as the reigning IBF, WBO, WBA and Ring champion, putting all his belts on the line in this mandatory WBO title defense.
He last fought in May, claiming a unanimous decision over Michael Eifert, which continued his momentum after his two-fight saga with Artur Beterbiev. In their rematch, Bivol defeated Beterbiev to claim the undisputed light heavyweight crown, rebounding from his sole career loss to Beterbiev in October 2024.
Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) returns to the ring after a 19-month hiatus, with his last appearance coming in a decisive victory over Joshua Buatsi in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the undercard of the Bivol vs. Beterbiev rematch.
As Bivol prepares for his second fight of the year, he has made it clear that he has his sights set on a mega-fight, with a short wish list featuring top names like David Benavidez, Canelo Alvarez and Artur Beterbiev.
The Bivol-Smith showdown will stream live on DAZN, with additional undercard details yet to be announced.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dmitry Bivol-Callum Smith light heavyweight showdown set for December
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