David Morrell fully expects his “interim” WBO title fight will be postponed, even though there is uncertainty over when Callum Smith will return to fighting.

They were both scheduled to feature in Liverpool last month, but only on a fleeting basis former world champion Smith withdrew due to an undisclosed injury.

Of course, it’s far from perfect that Smith hasn’t fought since February 2025, when he defeated Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision to win his “interim” lightweight heavyweight title.

However, despite the inactivity of Smith, whose recovery timetable remains unclear, both sides appear keen to reschedule the Morrell fight for later this year.

Until then, Morrell must stay in the win column as he makes a quick pit stop against former British and Commonwealth champion Zak Chelli this Saturday.

Their bout, which will take place at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, replaces Jared Anderson vs. Solomon Dacres in the main support role for Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois.

This happened thanks to the skillful approach to the situation by general manager Luis DeCubas Jr., who successfully saved his client from spending a year on the shelf.

Grateful for the opportunity, Morrell tells Boxing News his initial response to Smith’s injury was professional.

“I didn’t react too strongly – that’s part of being a professional athlete. As a fighter, you have to train your mindset and just be ready for anything [comes your way].

So I stayed serene and just kept training.”

Believing Smith’s fight will be “100%” postponed, Morrell remains keenly aware of the danger of taking his eye off the ball.

He learned this particular lesson in his last outing, when a lack of concentration, by his own admission, caused the talented Cuban to suffer a fifth-round knockdown against Imam Khataev.

Despite this, Morrell managed to achieve a split decision last July, but his performance was far from what we are accustomed to from a skilled technician.

“This fight wasn’t good, I wasn’t 100% focused, a few things happened in my personal circle.

“With a guy like Khataev, you’re supposed to box, move, and exploit those skills to control the fight. But since I wasn’t 100% focused, I just used my fighting instincts and got the win.”

After the Khataev fight, Morrell parted ways with Ronnie Shields and joined forces with head coach Ismael Salas, training alongside the likes of Rolando Romero, Alberto Puello and Yoelvis Gomez.

“[Salas has] I brought back some of the Cuban education that I lost a little bit when I came to the States and trained in Houston [Texas]. Returning to the roots is always essential.

“There was also communication [barrier] at my last camp, but since everyone now speaks the same language and is on the same page, it has had a really positive impact [on his training]”

With Salas at his side, Morrell clearly rediscovered the extraordinary skills that brought him considerable success in amateur competition.

Now, hoping to showcase his talents to a British audience, the 28-year-old looks ready to prove why he is one of the top contenders at 175 pounds against Chelli.

Andy Ruiz Jr. he’s half the man he was – and that becomes the whole story of his heavyweight career.

The former unified top-flight champion posted a up-to-date photo of himself along with the caption: “Still working challenging and still under construction.”

Fans immediately noticed how different Ruiz was.

Some praised the apparent weight loss and encouraged the Mexican-American heavyweight to continue pushing for another comeback. Others were less convinced, pointing out that Ruiz spent years rebuilding, never fully returning to the ring.

“The clocks are ticking, champ,” one fan wrote.

This response captured the broader feelings about Ruiz better than any training photo.

Andy Ruiz Jr.

Ruiz already looked slimmer. Boxing has also heard talk of a return before.

The issue isn’t whether Ruiz can lose weight. The problem is that with the cameras gone, the rebuilding doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.

Since losing the heavyweight titles in a rematch with Anthony Joshua, Ruiz has fought just three times in seven years.

Victories over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz followed by a draw against Jarrell Miller mark a painfully lackluster return for the fighter who once rocked the sport at Madison Square Garden.

That’s why every update from Ruiz now comes with the same reaction: hope mixed with doubt.

Ruiz’s slimmer appearance has also sparked up-to-date speculation about Ozempic online, although the former heavyweight champion has not confirmed anything.

Whatever the explanation, the bigger problem remains inactivity.

Ruiz underwent hand surgery following injuries suffered in 2024, but two years later he still has no confirmed opponent, no vigorous training camp tied to the fight and no clear return timetable.

Still under construction

At this stage, “under construction” can describe both Ruiz’s career and his profile.

World Boxing News has followed the same cycle over and over again. Ruiz recovers, posts motivational messages, suggests refocusing, and then disappears again without the momentum that made it to the ring.

Even Manny Robles, the coach who guided Ruiz to the greatest night of his career against Joshua, admitted earlier this year that inconsistency had become a major frustration of working with him.

Ruiz may be planning one last heavyweight fight. Maybe he’ll shock everyone and show up chasing the bridgeweight title instead.

Regardless of the plan, the heavyweight division still needs Andy Ruiz Jr. competing, not rebuilding in public.

Because right now, the fighter who once switched boxing for a one-night stand in Modern York City feels caught between a comeback and a bust – permanently stuck in construction.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

After a career-best win over Junto Nakatani, Naoya Inoue is already being linked with a lot of names, but he has been warned that he will be “murdered” on his home turf if he accepts a clash with one of his alleged dance partners.

Inoue did a cleaner job after winning a unanimous decision over “Big Bang” earlier this monthThis is his seventh consecutive defense of his undisputed super bantamweight title and a victory that will lend a hand define his career.

While there has been a lot of talk about moving up to featherweight, Inoue previously announced that he plans to stay at 122 pounds for one more fight.

It’s starting to become clear that that man is unified super flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, as told by the Texan’s trainer Robert Garcia Ring that he believes his protégé will retain the title of “Legend Slayer” if it comes to a fight.

“Bam is already known as the ‘Legend Slayer’ and it doesn’t get any better than Inoue,

“I think the timing is perfect if they finish fighting early next year. By then we’ll have a lot of answers at 118 pounds and we’ll have Bam back in the ring, hopefully by October, against another top bantamweight.”

“Jesse has the skills to compete with the best in the world and wants to fight Inoue… Inoue is still very rapid and powerful, but I think Jesse has the skills, intelligence and accuracy as a technical fighter to do it. We definitely have all the skills to beat Inoue.”

Rodriguez has expressed a desire to venture into Inoue’s backyard for a fight, and Saudi powerhouse Turki Alalshikh has confirmed its interest in staging a clash of pound-for-pound stars in early 2027.