The originally planned fight between Artur Beterbiev and Callum Smith, initially scheduled for August 12th, has been rescheduled to January 13th in 2024. The August match was postponed indefinitely due to Beterbiev’s surgery and subsequent recovery time. The fight remains slated to occur at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada.

Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KO’s) is reportedly still in the process of recuperating from dental surgery, with a full recovery anticipated in the near future. While the extended hiatus may not necessarily be advantageous for Beterbiev, it poses a more significant challenge for British contender Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KO’s). Smith’s last fight took place on August 20th, 2022, whereas Beterbiev had a more recent bout in January of the same year.

Beterbiev’s most recent victory marked his 19th win, achieved against British light-heavyweight contender Anthony Yarde (23-3, 22 KO’s). In contrast, Smith’s previous match saw him defeat French contender Mathieu Bauderlique (21-2, 12 KO’s). Before transitioning to the light-heavyweight division, Smith held the title of world champion at super middleweight. His reign was brought to an end by Canelo Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KO’s), who subsequently achieved undisputed status within the same division.

Beterbiev’s perfect KO ratio of 100% and his status as a unified champion (holding WBC, WBO & IBF titles) position him as the clear favorite for the upcoming bout against Callum Smith. Notably, the Russian fighter has distanced himself from his home country’s actions following their incursion into Ukraine. He has since embraced Canadian nationality, having lived in Canada since the early stages of his professional career, which began in 2013.