Callum Smith not only finally has a fight date but a home game for the occasion.
BoxingScene has confirmed that Smith’s long ago ordered secondary title fight with Cuba’s David Morrell will take place on April 18 from M&S Bank Arena in his hometown of Liverpool, England. The development comes roughly two weeks after the two were able to avoid a purse bid hearing for their WBO interim light heavyweight title fight.
The timing will put Smith, 31-2 (22 KOs), out of the ring for 14 months. His last bout came in his title-lifting effort over countryman Joshua Buatsi last February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Smith’s win served as the opening bout of a loaded marathon card topped by Dmitry Bivol’s win over Artur Beterbiev to win the undisputed 175lbs championship and avenge his lone career defeat in the process.
Strangely, neither Bivol, Beterbiev nor Smith fought since that night.
Smith is at least the first of the bunch to get a fight on the schedule. Bivol has since relinquished the WBC title but remains on the hook to make a mandatory defense against IBF No. 1 contender Michael Eifert. Their overdue clash is set for a purse bid hearing later this week.
Bivol’s extended absence was due in part to his undergoing back surgery to relieve a herniated disc. His injury and recovery served as justification for the WBO to have an interim title at the weight, though it hadn’t worked in Smith’s favor.
This very matchup has endured several stops and starts. It was first ordered last July,
shortly after Morrell’s narrow victory over Imam Khataev in Queens, New York.
WBO officials were told on at least two previous occasions that a deal was in place for this very fight, but neither opportunity made its way to the schedule.
Smith was also in talks with David Benavidez – the current WBC 175lbs titlist – for a potential showdown last November. Also in the former WBA 168lbs titlist’s sights was an all-UK clash with Anthony Yarde.
Much to Smith’s dismay, Benavidez and Yarde wound up facing each other. Benavidez won via one-sided, 7th round knockout.
That development put Smith-Morrell back in play, which resulted in several extensions and postponed purse bids before both parties confirmed to the WBO that a deal was finally reached.
Morrell previously held secondary versions of the WBA title at super middleweight and light heavyweight. The latter was conceded in a 12-round, unanimous decision defeat to Benavidez last February 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This will mark his first career fight outside the U.S.
Meanwhile, Smith fights in England for the first time since a November 2024 stay-busy win in Birmingham. His last fight in his hometown was a disputed points win over John Ryder in November 2019. The bout marked his final successful WBA 168lbs title defense, as he lost the belt to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez 13 months later in San Antonio, Texas.
