Dmitry Bivol and Callum Smith bout officially announced

One of the most anticipated clashes of the year-end in the world of professional boxing has been officially confirmed. The RCC Boxing promotional company has announced that a major professional boxing evening will be organized in the city of Yekaterinburg on December 12 of this year.

In the main event of the tournament, the unified light heavyweight (up to 79.4 kg) world champion, Russia's Dmitry Bivol, will step into the ring to defend his mandatory championship belt against experienced British challenger Callum Smith.

Combatants: True world-class grandees

Both boxers possess vast experience and high accolades in the professional ring:

• Dmitry Bivol (25-1-0, 12 KO): The 35-year-old Russian master of the squared circle began his professional career in 2014. Having first become a light heavyweight champion in 2017, Bivol later unified all prestigious belts to achieve the status of undisputed world champion;

• Callum Smith (31-2-0, 22 KO): The 36-year-old British knockout artist started his career in 2015 and became the super middleweight (up to 76.2 kg) world champion in 2018. Competing in the light heavyweight division since 2021, Smith is considered one of the primary contenders for world belts in this weight class.

Why is this fight significant?

While this bout serves as a serious test for Bivol in his path to once again defend his championship titles, for the knockout-capable Callum Smith, it is an opportunity to secure the biggest victory of his career:

• Fight date and location: December 12, Yekaterinburg;

• Status: Mandatory light heavyweight title defense.

Promoters are expected to provide full information regarding the rest of the fight card and ticket sales in the coming days.