Eddie Hearn says Dmitry Bivol must decide if he wants to defend his WBO light heavyweight title against interim champion Callum Smith or pursue other options.
Bivol has been linked to several high-profile options following his recent win over Michael Eifert, including a trilogy bout with Artur Beterbiev and a potential showdown against WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez. Both matchups are likely to generate significantly more interest and financial reward than a mandatory defense against Smith.
Hearn indicated that the WBO interim champion remains firmly in the picture.
“He now has an obligation against Callum Smith that has been ordered,” Hearn told Boxingscene.
“If he wants to take one of those fights we just said, he will also have to give up the WBO belt.”
Hearn said that Smith’s next move will involve a world title in one form or another.
“We’ll be looking at making Callum Smith for the world title, whatever happens,” Hearn said.
Callum captured the WBO interim light heavyweight title by defeating Joshua Buatsi and positioned himself as the mandatory challenger for Bivol’s belt. Still, the timing may end up working against him.
From Bivol’s perspective, a fight against Smith presents a difficult calculation. The Russian star could command bigger purses against Beterbiev or Benavidez, while Smith represents a dangerous opponent without the same commercial upside.
Unlike recent challenger Michael Eifert, Smith is a former world champion with size, power and momentum behind him, factors that could influence Bivol’s decision as potential fights against Artur Beterbiev and David Benavidez remain on the table.
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Last updated on 2026/06/12 at 18:41
