Four months of nightmarish negotiations finally ended with the WBO announcing that David Morrell and interim 175-lb champion Callum Smith have reached a deal for them to fight in 2026.
Smith’s promoters at Matchroom Boxing and TGB Promotions, and Morrell’s handlers at Warriors Boxing reached a deal to get the WBO-ordered fight over the line. However, the date and location still need to be agreed on.
Smith Racing the Clock
It’s a tough one for Smith (31-2, 22 KOs), who will be turning 36 soon, and has used up 136 days negotiating this deal with Morrell. When you have an aging fighter, you want to get the fights done quickly because you can’t put them in suspended animation to prevent them from aging during prolonged negotiations that eat up one-third of a year.
Date & Venue Unknown
“WBO confirms agreement: Callum Smith vs. David Morrell for the Interim Light Heavyweight Title. Date, venue, and promoter to be announced soon. Big fight ahead!👊” said WBC on social media, confirming an agreement has been reached between WBO interim light heavyweight champion Callum Smith and #2 contender David Morrell.
This is a fight that will determine the WBO mandatory for Dmitry Bivol’s belt with that organization. It doesn’t guarantee that the Smith-Morrell winner will get a title shot against him, however. Bivol has been dealing with injuries, and he’s still trying to get the trilogy match against Artur Beterbiev done.
What Happens Next?
As long as Turki Alalshikh doesn’t make a fourth fight between them, the winner of the Callum vs. Morrell fight could get a shot at the WBO belt in 2026. It wouldn’t be a shock if that title is vacated ot stripped at some point. If Turki is willing to throw a lot of money at the wealthy winner of the trilogy match between Bivol and Beterbiev, it increases the chances of Morrell or Smith fighting for the belt.