Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said on Friday that he wants to get the fight “locked in” between WBO interim light heavyweight champion Callum Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) and David Morrell. Hearn is in talks with Morrell’s promoter, Luis DeCubas, to get the fight made.
Morrell (12-1, 9 KOs) is coming off an exciting 10-round split decision win over Imam Khataev on July 12 at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. Many fans felt it was the fight of the night on that card.
Khataev dropped Morrell in round five, but Morrell came back strong in the second half to win. Rounds 10, 11, and 12 were back and forth with Morrell and Khataev taking turns dishing out punishment.
Getting It “Locked In”
“The same conversations with Luis DeCubas. That’s a fight that’s been ordered by the WBO. That’s a fight that His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] is also interested in. It’s a tremendous matchup, and he’s heavily invested in the 175-lb division,” said Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn to Boxing News about a fight between WBO interim light heavyweight champion Callum Smith and David Morrell.
“So, we want to get that fight locked in, but that will be the next fight for Callum Smith,” said Hearn.
It’s a risky fight for Smith, 35, and one can understand why Hearn doesn’t sound overly enthusiastic when talking about him going up against the powerful and 27-year-old Morrell. There’s a significant age gap between the two, and that could play a part in the outcome.
Smith is coming off a grueling 12-round unanimous decision win over previously unbeaten Joshua Buatsi on February 22nd, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Road to Bivol
It was a fight that had a lot on the line for Smith, as he couldn’t afford to lose at his age. He emerged victorious after fighting Buatsi and now holds the WBO interim 175-pound title. With that belt, Smith is in a position to challenge WBO champion Dmitry Bivol and make a lot of money. However, the WBO ordered negotiations to begin between Smith and Morrell on July 21, 2025. Smith must defend against Morrell to hold onto his WBO interim title to get the title shot.
“Morrell is the fresher of the two. [Smith’s] wear and age make me unsure if Callum can beat Morrell,” said analyst Paulie Malignaggi to Boxrec. “Morrell’s wealth of amateur experience schooled him in handling a steady string of difficult bouts before he turned pro, keeping him in bold position as he presses to become a world titlist.”
Morrell’s Amateur Background
Morrell’s amateur record in Cuba was an impressive 130-5 before turning pro in 2019. He’s got the youth, power, and amateur experience to give Callum a tough fight. In Morrell’s last three fights, he’s faced these big punchers:
- Imam Khataev: W-SD 10
- David Benavidez: L-UD 12
- Radivoje Kalajdzic: W-UD 12
The fighter Morrell lost to, Benavidez, took a lot of punishment from Morrell in their fight on February 1, 2025. Morrell staggered Benavidez in the fourth and dropped him in the 11th
At the end of the fight, Benavidez’s face was swollen, and he looked like he’d gotten the worst of it. He hasn’t fought since. The scores were 118-108, 115-111, and 115-111.
“Morrell’s strength of confidence in his amateur experience is such that [he] wants the biggest, baddest athletes around. I tip my hat to him. It’s a new age,” said analyst Chris Algieri to Boxrec.
Last Updated on 08/30/2025
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