Unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol will undergo surgery on his injured left elbow on July 4 before beginning preparations for a mandatory title defense against WBO no. 1 contender Callum Smith.
Lance Pugmire from goat scene reports that the WBO is expected to officially order Bivol and Smith to begin negotiations on Friday after being informed of the champion’s plans by promoter Matchroom Boxing.
Bivol (25-1, 12 KOs) returned from more than a year out after back surgery to defeat Michael Eifert by unanimous decision on May 30, retaining his unified titles despite entering the fight with the elbow injury.
The decision ends hopes, at least for now, of a third fight with Artur Beterbiev after the Russian rivals split their first two meetings. It also delays a potential undisputed championship clash with WBC champion David Benavidez, who has publicly pushed for the bout.
Instead, Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) moves into position for his long-awaited title opportunity. The former WBA super middleweight champion gained the WBO’s top position after defeating Joshua Buatsi in February 2025.
Smith, 36, has won two consecutive fights since suffering a 7th-round TKO loss to Artur Beterbiev in January 2024. The Liverpool native rebuilt his position with wins over Carlos Galvan and Joshua Buatsi, putting himself back in contention for another world title opportunity.
The timetable for Bivol’s return will depend on the outcome of the July 4 procedure, although going ahead with the Smith Mandatory allows him to retain the WBO belt while he recovers from surgery.
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Last updated on 2026/06/25 at 17:56
