Callum Smith has sustained an injury and thus his fight with David Morrell — scheduled for April 18 at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool — has been postponed, Matchroom Boxing announced Monday.
Light heavyweight contender Ben Whittaker’s bout with Braian Nahuel Suarez will replace Smith vs. Morrell in the main event slot for the DAZN show, with former UFC star Molly McCann also featuring on the bill.
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Smith was set to make the first defense of his WBO interim light heavyweight title against Morrell before the unspecified issue forced him out of the bout.
Smith (31-2, 22 KOs), a former super middleweight champion, has not fought since dethroning Joshua Buatsi of the interim strap in February 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After that win, the WBO made the rare move of ordering Smith to defend his interim belt against a mandatory, Morrell.
Morrell (12-1, 9 KOs), an ex two-division WBA (regular) champion, suffered the first loss of his career in a brawl against David Benavidez in February 2025. The Cuban bounced back with a debatable split decision win over Imam Khataev this past July in New York to earn him the fight with Smith.
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Eagerly anticipated in the boxing world, Smith vs. Morrell took more than six months to make but disappointingly it has now fallen apart just 12 days prior to fight night.
The WBO also ruled on Monday that Smith has 10 days to submit a certified medical report regarding the injury. The Liverpudlian must reschedule his fight with Morrell to take place within 180 days after the Dmitry Bivol vs. Michael Eifert contest, currently slated to take place May 30. Failing to do so will see him stripped of the interim championship.