In response to Whittaker’s comments, Chelli said his victory over Morrell was more than just a lucky blow.

“He didn’t do it [fought anyone]. I just saw his recent interview where he said my fight was a lucky shot,” Chelli told Sky Sports Boxing. “You don’t get a lucky shot against a two-time world heavyweight champion, who took a beating in the fight against David Benavidez.

“You don’t get a lucky shot in boxing, especially at this level. Maybe against a smaller guy. At this level, against a guy who is prepared to take a lucky shot and is trained for it. I wouldn’t say I envy him, but I think he regrets not taking that fight. I don’t think he would have done the job if he had taken that fight.”

Despite criticism of Whittaker’s record, Chelli says he would welcome a fight with him.

“I don’t see him as a real competitor, but he’s a large name. Why do we box? Are we boxing for money, fame or belts? He’s the one I want in the WBC right now. So if I know his name, of course, I’ll gladly take it,” Chelli said.

Chelli also revealed that the two were once members of Team GB and claimed he dumped Whittaker during a sparring session.

“We were good friends at one point. We were in Team GB, we shared the same rooms and were close. I think we were fighting for the English title in the final and I think something screwed up there. We had a sparring session. I dropped him in the sparring session,” Chelli said. “You can ask the witnesses there that I dropped him in sparring but he was still selected for the Commonwealth Games.”

Whittaker (11-0-1, 8 KO) holds the WBC International lightweight heavyweight title and last fought in April, defeating Liam Cameron in the second round of their rematch in Birmingham. Chelli’s upset win over Morrell was the biggest victory of his career and put him in position for more essential fights in the 175-pound division.

“I don’t see him as competition.”

Zak Chelli speaks out about Ben Whittaker 👀 pic.twitter.com/JBILvEC3Rt

— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) June 17, 2026

Details of Moses Itauma’s long-awaited return to the ring have finally been revealed.

While Oleksandr Usyk may be the current heavyweight king, Itauma is seen as the future of the division as he has won all 14 of his professional fights, 12 of which ended by knockout.

After gaining notoriety with victories over the likes of Dillian Whyte, Demsey McKean and Mariusz Wach, in March he scored the biggest victory of his career when he defeated Jermaine Franklin over five rounds at Co-Op Live in Manchester.

Following this victory, attention quickly turned to who the 21-year-old would have to face next to continue his journey to becoming a world champion in the near future.

It had long been rumored that the opponent was Filip Hrgovic, and indeed it turned out to be the case Sky Sports reported that he will actually face the Croatian, and the fight is to take place on August 29 at the O2 Arena in London.

Hrgovic has won 20 of his 21 professional fights, with the only blemish being a loss to Daniel Dubois in June 2024.

Since that defeat he has beaten a trio of Brits, scoring points over Joe Joyce and David Adeleye, before beating Dave Allen in the third round at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster in May.

This has now led to a showdown with Itauma, with Allen himself revealing his predictions for the competition after getting a feel for what it’s like to share the ring with ‘El Animal’.

DAZN was once seen as a UK-focused platform, built largely around Matchroom boxing. For many fans, this alone wasn’t enough to justify the price.

In 2026, this argument becomes increasingly tough to make.

The addition of BOXXER means DAZN now works with eight major boxing promoters, expanding a lineup that already includes Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Top Rank, Salita Promotions, Eye of the Tiger and MF Pro.

Whether fans believe DAZN Ultimate represents value for money is a separate debate. It’s becoming increasingly clear that each promoter added to the lineup makes it harder and harder for boxing fans to avoid DAZN.

Outside Matchroom

When DAZN first entered the boxing market, many critics saw it as an extension of Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.

Golden Boy helped expand its appeal in the United States, but the arrival of Frank Warren and Queensberry changed the conversation more than any other movement. For the first time, fans who followed Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren needed the same subscription.

Riyad’s season only accelerated this trend, bringing together fighters and promoters who have traditionally operated on different platforms.

The effect of the highest order

If Queensberry changed the equation in the UK, Top Rank could be the biggest addition of all.

Bob Arum has questioned DAZN’s place in boxing for years, in 2019 in a eminent interview with World Boxing News he said that “Nobody has DAZN.”

Today, Top Rank is on the same platform as Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy and BOXXER. Perhaps this was the moment when DAZN stopped looking like a Matchroom platform and started looking like something that boxing fans could no longer ignore.

The addition of Salita Promotions further strengthened DAZN’s position in the United States, with Claressa Shields among the company’s main names, while Eye of the Tiger and MF Pro added an exclamation point to the list.

Ask about price

None of this automatically settles the dispute over DAZN Ultimate.

WBN has previously questioned whether a subscription costing more than $500 per year in the United States can actually justify that price, especially since the first six pay-per-view events of 2026 received mixed overall ratings.

These concerns have not disappeared. However, each promoter added to the lineup gives fans another reason to pay for it.

The number of promoters operating on the same platform has changed.

Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Top Rank, BOXXER, Salita Promotions, Eye of the Tiger and MF Pro now give DAZN a footprint that seemed impossible just a few years ago.

Fans may still question the cost. Increasingly, they have fewer reasons not to subscribe.

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.