Callum Smith signs contract for Dmitry Bivol fight in Russia, RCC Boxing says
Russian promoter RCC Boxing says it has "completed lengthy negotiations" with the British fighter's team, with Saturday 12 December in Yekaterinburg the planned date.
Britain's Callum Smith has signed a contract to fight Dmitry Bivol, according to the Russian promoter RCC Boxing, which gave Saturday 12 December in Yekaterinburg as the planned date. The date has not yet been confirmed.
"Today we completed lengthy negotiations with Callum Smith's team," RCC Boxing chief executive German Titov said, in comments translated from Russian and carried by RBC Sport.
Smith holds the WBO interim light-heavyweight title and was ordered to face Bivol as his mandatory challenger. He has previously lost to Artur Beterbiev at light-heavyweight.
In September, Smith said the fight was waiting on WBO approval to take place in Russia. Speaking on The Smith Brothers: Not A Podcast, he said: "Obviously, last time they didn't sanction his last defence there because of the Ukraine war and stuff like that, but from what I am hearing I think that they will [this time]."
Read more: Callum Smith says Bivol title fight awaits WBO approval for Russia
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