Dmitry Bivol has regained the light-heavyweight titles and will face Callum Smith in his next title defense. Smith, a former middleweight champion, is known for his meat-and-potatoes style and ability to earn late points.
Dmitry Bivol defeated rival Artur Beterbiev to regain the WBA , IBF, WBC, WBO, IBO, and The Ring light-heavyweight titles, avenging his only loss. The pound-for-pound debate remains the biggest hot-button topic in all of boxing.
Yet, few utter the Kazakh champion's name within the top five fighters in the world, regardless of weight. After his first title defense in May of last year, one of the organizations wanted to push ahead of the metaphorical line. Sanctioning bodies regularly use their own rankings as the defining factor in who receives a title opportunity. Granted, many of the mandatory challenges end up as one-sided drubbings.
Yet Bivol could face a challenger who presents one of the toughest tests of his reign. Callum Smith isn't just any challenger. The former middleweight champion, in the eyes of the WBO, is going to be Bivol's next challenger. Smith isn't fancy and will not thrill fans with electric footwork.
However, he features a meat-and-potatoes style that sees a slower pace punctuated by a textbook approach: a crisp jab and combination at range and in close. Additionally, Smith possesses a trait that cannot be quantified. Smith trudged through tough rounds, earning later points and winning decisions.
However, what gives the fight an extra boost is Smith's willingness to abandon patience and start brawling. By nature, Bivol is not a mauler.
In contrast, he methodically plans his attacks. Whereas some fighters will fight and not box, the 175-pound champion uses patience to wear down opponents. Smith, the current WBO interim champion, has not fought since February 22, 2025. That layoff would probably not affect a younger fighter with fresher legs.
Yet, at 36 years old and 14 years into his career, staying relatively active could mean the difference between sharp boxing and scrambling to remain viable. While the Smith fight looks like a fun contest, it lacks the prestige and potential lucrativeness of matches against David Benavidez or of concluding the trilogy with Beterbiev, which could see money at stake. At this point in his career, Bivol stands before two doors. First.
He could keep the title and fight Smith, a battle that he looks like the decided favorite in. On the other hand, the champion could skip the Callum fight, have the WBO strip him, and fight either Beterbiev or Benavidez. Smith and Bivol will have 20 days to agree on the specifics. Loading recommendations...
Please wait while we load personalized content recommendationsTerrance is a boxing writer for KO on SI. He's enjoyed over a decade of writing experience, writing for Full Press Coverage, Pro Football Sports Network and Heavy.com, covering both professional and collegiate sports. He is s a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association. Terrance also votes on postseason awards like the Biletnikoff, Groza, and Thorpe Awards.
Biggs earned his bachelor's degree in Communication from Fort Hays State University. When not writing, he enjoys spending time with his children and his fiancée, along with playing softball.
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