With a pending rubber match between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev maintaining the primary 4 mild heavyweight titles occupied, WBO president Gustavo Olivieri has ordered Callum Smith to defend his interim belt agaisnt David Morrell Jr, giving them 30 days to come back to phrases.
As soon as seen as a star within the making, Morrell (12-1, 9 KO) has struggled to differentiate himself since shifting from 168 to 175. His divisional debut in opposition to Radivoje Kalajdzic snapped a nine-fight knockout streak and his subsequent showdown with David Benavidez noticed him stagger “El Bandera Roja” however finally fall quick on the playing cards.
His latest victory over Imam Khataev did little to rehabilitate his picture, as Khataev floored him within the fifth and had a powerful argument for incomes the choice regardless of operating out of steam.
Smith (31-2, 22 KO), in contrast, is coming off a career-best efficiency in opposition to undefeated Joshua Buatsi in February. Exterior of his loss to Artur Beterbiev, he’s taken to his new weight class fairly nicely, exhibiting off the ability and sturdiness wanted to carry his personal in opposition to opponents he can’t dwarf.
Hopeful we see this one, as their kinds promise a donnybrook.
