Boxing
Eddie Hearn wants Smith-Morrell fight postponed in Liverpool
The fight was stopped after Smith suffered an injury that precluded a quick recovery, forcing changes to an event that was already built around the fight.
“It was something really bad. There was no going back. You can’t fix it in three or four weeks,” Hearn said.
This left the promotion with a decision to make. Instead of canceling the show, Matchroom moved forward, shuffling the cards despite losing one of its strongest fights.
By my calculations, 270 days have passed since the entire process began when the WBO ordered the Smith vs. Morrell fight on July 21, 2025. That’s almost nine months of waiting, only for the rug to be pulled out at the very end.
The WBO is already tightening the screws on the Callum Smith case. They acted quickly to ensure that David Morrell did not remain on probation for another nine months.
The WBO issued an official notice following the appeal, giving Smith’s team exactly 10 days to submit a medical certificate. They need a specific diagnosis, clinical prognosis and a definitive date to return to training.
“You have to swallow it, accept the financial burden and walk away,” Hearn said. “Everyone knew how great the Smith-Morrell fight was and at this point you are incredibly depressed.”
With the original combat out of the way, the focus now shifts to timing. Hearn has said he intends to return to the match once Smith has made a full recovery, with the target still being Liverpool.
“We would love to do it here in Liverpool,” he said.
No date has been set for the rescheduled fight and no alternative plans have been provided for Morrell pending Smith’s recovery.
The WBO’s priority is to end the interim status so the winner can face the Bivol-Eifert winner. If Smith’s injury is as earnest as Hearn suggested, the WBO will likely pull the trigger and strip him early in the summer to keep the division moving.
David Morrell says he expects to be fully prepared for Zak Chelli when the two lithe heavyweights meet in Manchester tonight.
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Morrell admitted he wasn’t very familiar with Chelli before the fight was finalized, but the Cuban challenger says his team quickly began studying footage and highlights once the fight became official.
Morrell studying Chella
“We were introduced to him when his name came up as a potential opponent,” Morrell said The boxing scene.
“We’ve seen a few videos here and there and a few highlights, but by the time the fight comes I’ll know his every move,” Morrell said.
The former interim champion enters the fight with a record of 12-1 and nine knockouts. Morrell remains one of the more experienced contenders in the lithe heavyweight division despite having only had 13 professional fights.
His only loss came last year to David Benavidez, but Morrell believes that tough fights early in his career accelerated his development.
“I Wasn’t Taken Out of the Fire”
“I am one hundred percent elated with the direction my career has taken.
“In my third fight I was fighting for the WBA title and in my 11th fight I was fighting Benavidez. I wasn’t pulled out of the fire,” Morrell said.
Morrell also pointed to the lessons he learned from his lithe heavyweight fight against an experienced opponent.
Lessons in 175
“The first thing was adjusting to 175.
“Later, coming out of those fights, I learned how essential it is to stay focused to fight at that level. Focus during a fight is essential to stay placid, stick to the game plan and not get emotional,” Morrell said.
Tonight’s fight gives Morrell another chance to gain some momentum in the division while continuing his first extended fight in the UK. Tonight’s victory will quickly get Morrell one step closer to another significant fight in the lithe heavyweight division.
Last update: 2026/05/09 at 13:48
David Morrell says he’ll check out Zak Chelli’s “Every Move.”
NO RESPECT? Dubois RUFUSES Fabio Wardley Fist Bump • TENSE FACE OFF | DAZN Boxing
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