{"id":366455,"date":"2026-07-15T02:19:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T20:49:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=366455"},"modified":"2026-07-15T02:19:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T20:49:40","slug":"callum-smith-expects-dmitry-bivol-to-honor-wbo-mandatory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/15\/callum-smith-expects-dmitry-bivol-to-honor-wbo-mandatory\/","title":{"rendered":"Callum Smith Expects Dmitry Bivol To Honor WBO Mandatory"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u201cI all the time assumed he\u2019d vacate because I heard the trilogy was happening with Beterbiev,\u201d Smith said to talkSPORT Boxing. \u201cBut from what I\u2019m hearing, he desires to fight me next. So fingers crossed we are able to get all of it sorted over the road, and we are able to get a fight on.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The WBO recently ordered Bivol to face interim champion Smith, with the winner expected to maneuver forward because the division\u2019s leading champion after months of inactivity brought on by injuries and mandatory obligations.<\/p>\n

Smith acknowledged the lengthy wait has been frustrating after spending much of the past 18 months on the sidelines.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s probably going to be the longest I\u2019ve had out the ring,\u201d Callum said. \u201cHe had an operation on his back, then he needed to maintain his IBF mandatory before the WBO one was called. It\u2019s type of a backlog. That\u2019s the issue when one fighter becomes undisputed. The mandatories line up, and also you\u2019ve got to attend your turn.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Despite entering the fight because the underdog, Smith said he stays convinced he can dethrone Bivol if he performs at his best.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAs a fighter, I all the time consider in myself,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI consider at my best I can beat anyone on this planet, and I still stand by that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Smith dismissed the notion that Bivol\u2019s victories over Artur Beterbiev, who stopped Smith in 2024, mean he has little probability of winning.<\/p>\n

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\u201cStyles make fights in boxing,\u201d Smith said. \u201cSimply because A beats B and B beats C doesn\u2019t mean A beats C. I\u2019ve got to go in there, use my skills, use my attributes and be certain that the most effective version of me turns up.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Former world title challenger Paul Smith also expects the fight to occur, arguing that Bivol has consistently faced every mandatory challenger placed in front of him.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHistory would suggest that he’ll take that fight in a heartbeat,\u201d Paul Smith said. \u201cFor those who\u2019ve got your interim champion there, that\u2019s what he has to do to maintain hold of those titles. So I consider that fight will occur next.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Robert Segal is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24 with greater than a decade of experience covering fight news, previews, and evaluation. Known for his straightforward reporting and ringside perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, contenders, and emerging talent worldwide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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\u201cI all the time assumed he\u2019d vacate because I heard the trilogy was happening with Beterbiev,\u201d Smith said to talkSPORT Boxing. \u201cBut from what I\u2019m hearing, he desires to fight me next. So fingers crossed we are able to get all of it sorted over the road, and we are able to get a fight […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":366456,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[13750,2871,17031,13363,2753,6580,2156,19273],"class_list":["post-366455","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-bivol","tag-callum","tag-dmitry","tag-expects","tag-honor","tag-mandatory","tag-smith","tag-wbo"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t