Artur Beterbiev no longer defends his unified light heavyweight title against Callum Smith on Saturday, August 19 at Videotron Centre in Québec City, Canada. The bout has been postponed after three-belt champion suffered a bone infection to his jaw.
Beterbiev, current WBC, WBO and IBF titleholder, underwent surgery earlier today in Montreal, Canada.
Montreal-based Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) is boxing’s only world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio. The 38-year-old was in action in January in London, where he stopped Anthony Yarde in the eighth round and made the first successful defense of his belts.
Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs) is a former WBA super middleweight champion. The WBC’s mandatory light heavyweight challenger last fought in August 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where he stopped Mathieu Bauderlique in the fourth round and recorded his second straight victory. In December 2020, Liverpool’s 33-year-old dropped a unanimous decision against Canelo Alvarez in the 168-pound championship unification.
A rescheduled Beterbiev vs Smith fight date is expected to be announced shortly.
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