As unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev get ready for a trilogy fight, two of the division’s other top stars are also planning a clash.

WBC champion David Benavidez and WBO interim beltholder Callum Smith are discussing a deal to duke it out, Matchroom Boxing head and Smith promoter Eddie Hearn said.

“I'm doing more and more business with PBC. My relationship with Luis DeCubas is really helping that, so much so that Callum Smith and David Benavidez is a fight that we are negotiating now,” Hearn told the media following a Thursday press conference announcing The Ring III card scheduled for July 12 in New York.

Benavidez’s father and trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr., told The Ring they’re anticipating a return in the fall and are not solely tying down themselves to Smith.

“We are looking at different options and are trying to come back in October,” he said.

Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) secured the WBC interim title last summer by scoring a unanimous decision against Oleksandr Gvozdyk and defended the title in a career-best win against David Morrell in February. Benavidez appeared to be in line to face Beterbiev, who had to best Bivol in February like he did in October, but Bivol won the rubber match.

The WBC ordered a fight between Bivol and Benavidez and a purse bid was scheduled for April 8, but Bivol vacated the belt a day before, and Benavidez was elevated as the sanctioning body’s full titleholder.

On the Bivol-Beterbiev rematch undercard, Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) outlasted then-unbeaten Joshua Buatsi in a firefight to notch the WBO interim title. Smith requested his mandatory shot against Bivol, but was rejected by the WBO earlier this week.

The Ring reported last week that Smith also has been discussing a deal for a fight against Anthony Yarde as soon as August as part of a Matchroom vs. Queensberry 5v5 event.