Official announcements from the world boxing governing bodies, especially on mandatory fights.

Between 22 and 28 August 2026, major boxing governing bodies issued several key mandatory rulings. The WBO officially confirmed that light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and mandatory challenger Callum Smith reached an agreement, canceling their scheduled purse bid. Additionally, the WBO approved a unification exception for Emanuel Navarrete to face O'Shaquie Foster, while the WBA clarified that new welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez is mandated to face Jack Catterall within 180 days.

• WBO Bivol vs. Smith Agreement: On 27 August 2026, WBO President Gustavo Olivieri confirmed that Dmitry Bivol and Callum Smith reached terms for their mandatory light heavyweight title fight, canceling the purse bid; the bout is reportedly planned for 12 December 2026 in Russia. 📅 Calendar file (.ics) Dmitry Bivol vs. Callum Smith (WBO Mandatory) December 12, 2026
• WBO Unification Exception (Navarrete vs. Foster): The WBO Championship Committee unanimously approved an exception on 27 August 2026 allowing champion Emanuel Navarrete to pursue a unification against WBC champion O'Shaquie Foster, provided the winner faces mandatory challenger Charly Suarez within 180 days.
• WBA Welterweight Mandatory Order: WBA President Gilberto Mendoza Jr. clarified on 26 August 2026 that Teofimo Lopez, following his 22 August victory, is obligated to defend his title against mandatory challenger Jack Catterall within 180 days.
• IBF Super Welterweight Eliminator Draw: On 26 August 2026, an IBF title eliminator between Nikita Tszyu and Ben Mahoney ended in a split decision draw, leaving the mandatory challenger position for IBF champion Josh Kelly unresolved.

On 21 August 2026, the WBO officially scheduled a purse bid for the mandated light heavyweight title fight between Dmitry Bivol and Callum Smith after the parties failed to reach an agreement. Additionally, the WBO's recent mandatory order for Hamzah Sheeraz to face Janibek Alimkhanuly drew significant public criticism from the champion's camp on 21 August 2026, while promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed a WBA heavyweight title bout between Murat Gassiev and Jarrell Miller for an upcoming major undercard.

• WBO Light Heavyweight Purse Bid: WBO President Gustavo Olivieri announced on 21 August 2026 that a purse bid for the Dmitry Bivol vs. Callum Smith mandatory title fight is scheduled for 27 August 2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 📅 Calendar file (.ics) WBO Bivol vs. Callum Smith Purse Bid August 27, 2026 at 17:00 GMT+3
• WBA Heavyweight Title Bout Confirmation: Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed on 21 August 2026 that Murat Gassiev will face Jarrell Miller for a version of the WBA heavyweight title on the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua undercard. (December 21, 2026) 📅 Calendar file (.ics) Gassiev vs. Miller (WBA Heavyweight Title) December 21, 2026
• WBO Super Middleweight Mandatory Dispute: On 21 August 2026, Hamzah Sheeraz publicly criticized the WBO's order to defend his title against mandatory challenger Janibek Alimkhanuly, following the WBO's rejection of a competing petition for Jacob Bank.
• WBA/WBO Featherweight Title Defense: Amanda Serrano successfully retained her unified WBA and WBO featherweight world titles on 21 August 2026 by defeating Lucrecia Manzur via majority decision.

Between 18 August and 20 August 2026, major boxing governing bodies issued new mandatory orders and finalized title fight agreements. The WBA confirmed that Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi reached an agreement on 19 August 2026 for a vacant lightweight title bout, avoiding a purse bid, while the WBC officially ordered cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian to face mandatory challenger David Benavidez. Additionally, the WBO is currently reviewing a request to allow a super featherweight unification that would bypass an existing mandatory obligation.

• WBA Lightweight Title Agreement: On 19 August 2026, promoters for Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi reached an agreement for a vacant WBA lightweight world championship fight scheduled for 10 October 2026, successfully canceling the purse bid that had been set for the previous day. 📅 Calendar file (.ics) Floyd Schofield vs. Lucas Bahdi (WBA Lightweight Title) October 10, 2026
• WBC Cruiserweight Mandatory Order: The WBC Board of Governors officially ordered cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian to defend his title against mandatory challenger David Benavidez on 18 August 2026 following unsuccessful mediation between the camps.
• WBO Super Featherweight Unification Request: As of 19 August 2026, the WBO is considering a request from champion Emanuel Navarrete to sanction his 24 October 2026 bout against O'Shaquie Foster as a unification, which would delay his mandatory defense against Charly Suarez. 📅 Calendar file (.ics) Emanuel Navarrete vs. O'Shaquie Foster (Proposed Unification) October 24, 2026
• IBF Super Welterweight Eliminator: An IBF world title eliminator between Nikita Tszyu and Ben Mahoney was confirmed for 26 August 2026, with the winner designated to become the mandatory challenger for champion Josh Kelly. 📅 Calendar file (.ics) Nikita Tszyu vs. Ben Mahoney (IBF Eliminator) August 26, 2026 at 12:00 GMT+3

Between 16 August and 18 August 2026, the major boxing governing bodies issued critical updates to their championship landscapes. The IBF officially sanctioned the 29 August bout between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic for the full Heavyweight World Championship following Oleksandr Usyk's decision to vacate the title. Additionally, the WBO issued a formal negotiation order for a super middleweight mandatory bout between Hamzah Sheeraz and Janibek Alimkhanuly, while the WBA extended the negotiation deadline for the vacant lightweight title fight between Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi to 18 August 2026.

• IBF Heavyweight Title Sanctioning: On 16 August 2026, the IBF officially upgraded the Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic bout to a full World Championship fight after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt. (August 29, 2026) 📅 Calendar file (.ics) Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic (IBF Heavyweight Title) August 29, 2026
• WBO Super Middleweight Mandatory Order: The WBO issued an official negotiation order on 17 August 2026 for a mandatory championship contest between champion Hamzah Sheeraz and challenger Janibek Alimkhanuly.
• WBA Lightweight Negotiation Extension: The WBA extended the negotiation period for the vacant lightweight title bout between Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi until 18 August 2026 to allow both parties to finalize an agreement. 📅 Calendar file (.ics) WBA Lightweight Negotiation Deadline August 18, 2026
• IBF Welterweight Mandatory Designation: On 17 August 2026, Paddy Donovan was officially designated as the IBF No. 1 mandatory challenger in the welterweight division following his successful title eliminator performance.