Callum Smith’s plan to parlay his WBO interim title into an immediate crack at Dmitry Bivol has been scuppered. In a four-page ruling, the WBO championship committee denied Smith’s request for mandatory status, citing “good cause” to let Bivol complete a rubber match with long-time rival Artur Beterbiev later this autumn.
The decision keeps the light-heavyweight spotlight on Bivol-Beterbiev - now 1-1 after Bivol edged their Riyadh rematch in February - and extends Bivol’s deadline for a WBO mandatory defence. Smith retains his interim belt and remains first in line once the trilogy is settled, but the committee has authorised him to take a voluntary bout in the meantime.
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That “meantime” already has a target: sources on both sides say a summer showdown with fellow Brit Anthony Yarde is close to finalised for August in Riyadh, part of Turki Alalshikh’s next Matchroom-Queensberry joint card. Yarde’s trainer Tunde Ajayi claims the deal was “sealed in February,” and the WBO ruling now removes the last scheduling hurdle.
Smith earned his interim strap by out-pointing Joshua Buatsi in a February thriller, hoping to force a second world-title try after last year’s knockout loss to Beterbiev. Instead, he’ll risk that position against the heavy-handed Yarde while Bivol and Beterbiev settle their own score later this year.
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