Dmitry Bivol and Callum Smith must finalize the terms of their WBO light‑heavyweight title fight by August 20, after which the WBO will initiate a purse‑bid process.
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri announced on Monday that the Championships Committee has granted a final extension to the parties. Should a deal not be reached by the new deadline, a purse‑bid will be held on August 27 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Olivieri said the extension through August 20 aligns with the WBO’s policy of having a single world champion per division and does away with interim titles.
This deadline places pressure on Bivol, the current WBO champion also holding the IBF and IBO titles, while Callum, the WBO interim champion, awaits his opportunity for the full championship.
Both fighters are represented by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, whose involvement should streamline negotiations compared to those driven by rival promoters.
Bivol returned from elbow surgery on May 30, securing a unanimous 12‑round decision over Michael Eifert in Ekaterinburg, Russia, with all three judges scoring 120‑107.
Smith earned his position by defeating Joshua Buatsi unanimously in February 2025, a win that awarded him the WBO interim light‑heavyweight title and set him up as Bivol’s challenger.
Bivol also has a more lucrative option: a third bout with Artur Beterbiev, which would yield a substantially larger purse after their previous two meetings were split. With Smith’s mandatory challenge looming, Bivol has only nine days to decide how to respond.
Tom Galm is a boxing journalist who has covered the global fight landscape since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, industry trends, and fighter psychology.

