MANCHESTER, England – Zak Chelli recorded the biggest victory of his career by stunning Cuba’s David Morrell Jnr when dramatically stopping him in the 10th and final round.
An injury suffered by Callum Smith forced Smith’s withdrawal from a main event scheduled against Morrell in April, leading to Morrell being matched with Chelli – a late-notice opponent – on the undercard of Fabio Wardley-Daniel Dubois.
The talented Morrell, 28, had been hurt in the ninth at the Co-op Live and perhaps saved by the bell, and hadn’t recovered by the time he again found himself under increased pressure and unable to defend himself, and requiring rescuing with 36 seconds left.
Smith had been watching from ringside in anticipation of a date between them being rescheduled. He will instead have to seek an alternative opponent to the one he perhaps would have been considered the underdog against. Morrell will be forced to rebuild. Chelli, also 28 and having recorded what is certain to prove one of the year’s most unexpected victories, may even be rewarded with the fight against Smith.
Chelli had lost as recently as two fights ago, when surrendering the British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles to Callum Simpson. He responded by moving up to light heavyweight to win the English title against Adam Hepple, also via a knockout in the 10th round.
Morrell, whose only previous defeat also came two fights ago against the increasingly revered David Benavidez, fought with an air of complacency or sluggishness from the opening bell.
If he was guilty of underestimating Chelli, whether he did so based on his perception of Chelli’s abilities, his record or the fact that he had two weeks’ notice remains unclear. He also had a noticeable size advantage, but struggled to establish any sort of rhythm or momentum and allowed Chelli to grow in self-belief.
Morrell started the opening round by prioritising jabbing Chelli’s body, and fighting with what appeared to be patience, even when absorbing a right hand down the middle.
In the second he convincingly covered up when Chelli attempted to land a flurry of punches, and even in the fourth, when taking a left hook and a straight right, he was expected to gradually take control.
It was in the fifth, when falling short with a left hand, that he looked particularly rusty. It had been July 2025 when he most recently fought, when defeating Imam Khataev via split decision after 10- rounds.
A straight left hand sent Chelli backwards in the sixth, and was complemented by a right to the body and then a left to the head. His finest round was unfolding, but even then was undermined by Chelli landing a left hand in close.
Two further rights followed from Chelli in the seventh and, in the eighth, swelling was appearing by each of Morrell’s eyes.
A straight right from Chelli in the ninth was followed by a right-left from Morrell and then the Cuban’s southpaw jab. A strong right hand then backed Morrell up towards the ropes where he found himself under increasing pressure and taking consistent punishment. The referee Darren Sarginson watched with particular attention by was right not to intervene before the bell sounded to end the round.
When Morrell returned from his corner for the 10th it was clear that he hadn’t fully recovered, and when he took another left hand his legs subtly buckled and showed the extent to which he remained hurt. Chelli, again, succeeded in backing him up towards the ropes where the pattern repeated itself but he landed more convincingly.
Morrell was hurt and struggling to defend himself, and after twice watching his head snap back Sarginson wisely waved the action over after two minutes and 24 seconds of, for both fighters, a career-changing round.
Wales’ Gavin Gwynne had by then beaten, over 10 rounds at junior welterweight, Khaleel Majid of England via scores of 96-94, 96-94 and 95-95.
