Dmitry Bivol to have elbow surgery July 4, then plans to face Callum Smith in next fight
Jun 25, 2026 • 5:27 PM ET
Unified light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol will undergo surgery on his injured left elbow July 4, and will return to fight his WBO top-ranked contender Callum Smith, BoxingScene learned Thursday.
The WBO is expected to order Bivol-Smith Friday.
Bivol, 25-1 (12 KOs), through his promoter Matchroom Boxing, has informed the WBO of the plans after Bivol returned from a year–plus absence connected to back surgery and defeated Michael Eifert by unanimous decision May 30.
Bivol’s decision allows him to retain his WBO belt, but disappoints those calling for him to stage a trilogy bout with Russian countryman Artur Beterbiev after they split the first two tightly contested matches.
WBC light-heavyweight champion David Benavidez has also expressed interest in fighting Bivol for the undisputed title.
Instead, England’s Matchroom-promoted former super-middleweight champion Smith, 31-2 (22 KOs), elevates to the title shot after his impressive February 2025 victory over Joshua Buatsi.
The timetable for Bivol’s return will be known following his surgery, an official connected to the situation said.
Lance Pugmire has been a full-time boxing writer for nearly 20 years, serving now as BoxingScene’s U.S. Senior Writer and assistant producer for ProBoxTV’s “BoxingScene Today.” Pugmire capped a near 20-year career at the Los Angeles Times (sports investigations, NHL/MLB beat work, law enforcement/courts and boxing/UFC) to join The Athletic, and then USA Today. Pugmire’s stint at The Times started with the first Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez fight and the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jnr then-record pay-per-view, leading through a slew of ringside assignments at major bouts, including Mayweather-Pacquiao, Mayweather-Canelo and the Canelo-Golovkin trilogy. Lance’s appreciation for boxing is rooted in his admiration and appreciation for the fighters, gladiators who have proven to be the most forthcoming and candid of all the athletes he has interviewed over a career dating to 1990. Lance was honored to be named the 2022 winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence and he’s collected many BWAA writing awards in categories ranging from breaking news to deep-dive long features.
