Callum Smith tells Dmitry Bivol to vacate WBO title if he won’t defend

Callum Smith says the WBO situation at light heavyweight needs to be settled quickly, and he’s made it clear where he stands if a title defense isn’t coming.

Smith, who faces David Morrell Jr. next, questioned whether WBO champion Dmitry Bivol intends to keep hold of the belt while mapping out other fights. Bivol has been linked to a trilogy bout with Artur Beterbiev and a possible rematch with Canelo Alvarez, but there has been no indication that a mandatory defense is part of that plan.

Smith didn’t go as far as calling him out directly, but the message was straightforward. If the belt isn’t going to be defended, it shouldn’t be held.

“If he’s got no intention of defending it, then vacate now,” Smith said to Fight Hub TV. “I don’t really see why he’s going to pay a sanction fee on it that he doesn’t plan on keeping.”

The 34-year-old Liverpool fighter holds the WBO interim title, which puts him in position to be elevated if the full belt is vacated. That possibility now depends less on what happens in the ring next and more on what decision is made above him.

Smith faces Morrell in a fight that has gotten a lot of attention in the division, but the title picture around it remains unclear. Bivol’s next move could determine whether the winner is pushed directly into full champion status or left waiting again.

For Smith, the focus stays on his own fight, but his comments reflect a wider issue that continues to surface across divisions when champions pursue bigger fights without addressing their mandatory obligations. The answer, in his view, is simple. If the belt isn’t part of the plan, let it go.

The last thing that Smith should be concerned about right now is Bivol needing to be stripped. He’s still got a huge obstacle in front of him in the form of Cuban Morrell on April 18th. The combination of Morrell’s punching power, youth, and technical skills might be too much for this version of Callum. The Liverpool native is coming off a grueling war against Joshua Buatsi, and that was a year ago.

Being inactive for 14 months and coming off a difficult fight is going to be tough on Smith. If he were younger and more active, going up against a fighter like Morrell wouldn’t be such a big ask. This fight is coming at the worst possible time for him.