Smith–Morrell Remains Unscheduled as Purse Bid Is Called

The long-running effort to put Callum Smith vs David Morrell in the ring has circled back to a familiar place. Another purse bid.

The World Boxing Organization confirmed this week that Warriors Boxing, acting for David Morrell, has formally requested immediate purse bid proceedings for the interim light heavyweight title bout with Callum Smith. No date is set. No venue is attached. The paperwork is moving again, even if the fight itself is not.

Smith picked up the interim belt in February with a points win over Joshua Buatsi, a competitive domestic fight that asked real questions of both men. It was the kind of win that still carries weight, particularly at Smith’s stage of his career, but one that also needs momentum behind it to mean anything long-term.

That bout sat beneath Dmitry Bivol’s undisputed title rematch victory against Artur Beterbiev. Bivol remains the division’s clear number one and is expected back in the spring, likely against Michael Eifert, which leaves Smith and Morrell competing for position rather than control.

Eight months without a date

The Smith–Morrell matchup was first ordered last summer, shortly after Morrell returned with a decision win over Imam Khataev on a Ring Magazine card financed by Turki Alalshikh. Nearly eight months later, the fight remains unsigned and unscheduled.

There was a December agreement that canceled an earlier purse bid. That was followed by extensions. Then more time. The bout was linked to a March show expected to be headlined by Anthony Joshua, plans that collapsed after Joshua was involved in a fatal car accident in Nigeria last December. Since then, no replacement platform has held.

On paper, Matchroom Boxing has the ability to stage the fight. In practice, the company already has multiple cards booked through late February. Warriors Boxing faces a different limitation. The company largely operates under the Premier Boxing Champions umbrella, which currently has no confirmed dates in the first quarter of 2026. A tentative March Prime Video pay per view featuring Sebastian Fundora and Keith Thurman is the only visible opening.

That backdrop explains why the Morrell side has pushed for a purse bid now. It is less about forcing Smith’s hand than forcing the market to show its cards.

For Smith, the delay carries a quiet cost. At 35, he remains close to bigger opportunities, including a possible fight with Bivol, but those chances depend on timing and relevance. For Morrell, the concern is simpler. Without this fight, there is nothing firm ahead.

The reset sends the bout back into process rather than progress. Once again, the division is left exactly where it has been for months, with a mandated fight still no closer to taking place.