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.
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