David Morrell remains firmly convinced that his WBO interim title bout will be rearranged, even though there is some uncertainty about when Callum Smith will be ready to compete again.
The two fighters were originally set to meet in Liverpool last month, but the former world champion Smith withdrew due to an undisclosed injury.
It is far from ideal that Smith hasn’t stepped into the ring since February 2025, when he earned a unanimous decision victory over Joshua Buatsi to claim the interim light-heavyweight title.
Despite Smith’s inactivity and the unclear timeline for his recovery, both parties seem keen on rescheduling the Morrell fight later this year.
In the meantime, Morrell must keep his winning streak alive. He makes a quick detour this Saturday against former British and Commonwealth champion Zak Chelli.
The contest, held at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, replaces the Jared Anderson vs. Solomon Dacres bout as the chief support for Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois.
This opportunity arose thanks to savvy handling by top manager Luis DeCubas Jr., who effectively prevented his client from sitting out an entire year.
Grateful for the chance, Morrell told Boxing News that his initial reaction to Smith’s injury was marked by true professionalism.
“I didn’t have much of a reaction – it’s part of being a professional athlete. Being a fighter, you need to train your mindset and just be ready for whatever comes your way,” he said. “So I stayed calm and just kept training.”
While firmly believing the Smith fight will “100%” be rescheduled, Morrell is acutely aware of the danger of losing focus.
He learned that lesson in his last outing, when a lack of concentration, by his own admission, led to a fifth-round knockdown against Imam Khataev.
Still, Morrell managed to edge a split decision last July, but it was far from the performance fans have come to expect from the skilled technician.
“That fight wasn’t good; I wasn’t 100% focused. Several things had happened within my personal circle,” Morrell explained. “With a guy like Khataev you should box, move around, and use those abilities to control the fight. But because I wasn’t 100% focused, I just used my fighting instincts and came away with the victory.”
Following the Khataev fight, Morrell parted ways with Ronnie Shields and teamed up with head coach Ismael Salas, training alongside the likes of Rolando Romero, Alberto Puello, and Yoelvis Gomez.
“[Salas has] brought back some of that Cuban schooling, which I had lost a little bit when I came to the States and was training in Houston. Going back to your roots is always important,” Morrell said.
“There was also a communication barrier in my last camp, but with everyone now speaking the same language and being on the same page, it’s had a really positive impact on his training.”
With Salas in his corner, Morrell appears to have rediscovered the silky skills that brought him considerable success in the amateurs.
Now hoping to showcase his talent to a UK audience when he faces Chelli, the 28-year-old seems ready to prove why he is one of the premier contenders at 175 pounds.
