Unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol has been ordered to defend his titles against his mandatory challenger Callum Smith by the WBO.
BoxingScene reported earlier this month that Bivol, who recently returned with a win over Michael Eifert in May, after a year–plus absence connected to back surgery, had alerted the WBO of his decision to face Smith next. There had been reports of Bivol facing Artur Beterbiev in a trilogy bout, after their first two razor-close encounters left them one-a-piece, but Bivol has opted to keep his WBO title and face Smith.