- David Morrell makes his UK debut against Zak Chelli on the Wardley-Dubois undercard at Co-op Live Manchester on May 9
- Morrell stepped in after his April 18 Callum Smith date was scrapped by injury — Chelli's team chased the slot
- Light heavyweight, ten rounds, on DAZN PPV — a proper banker for the second-from-top
Right Then — Morrell Lands In Manchester
Right then. David Morrell finally gets his UK debut, and he's getting it on the right night. The Cuban-American light heavyweight has been parachuted onto the Wardley-Dubois undercard at Co-op Live on Saturday, ten rounds with Zak Chelli, and you know what? It's a proper test for the Londoner and a brilliant chance for Morrell to announce himself to British boxing in person.
Make no mistake. Morrell at 175 is a different proposition to Morrell at 168. He's bigger, he's harder to outwork, and the Cuban amateur engine still does not know what tired feels like. Chelli has earned his shot — he's gone 16-3-1, he's improved every fight, and he asked for this one. But asking for it and being ready for it are two different things, and we are about to find out which side of that line he's on.
How Morrell Ended Up On This Card
Quick recap. Morrell was supposed to box Callum Smith on April 18 in a Smith comeback at light heavy. Smith pulled out the week before with an injury, and Morrell — already deep into camp, weight already drilled in — needed somewhere to land. Chelli's people moved fast. They've been after a Morrell-shaped name for a while. The Wardley-Dubois card had room. The deal got done.
It's a smart bit of matchmaking from everyone involved. Wardley-Dubois will pull a UK heavyweight crowd; Morrell wants a UK crowd; Chelli wants a Cuban with a name on his record. Bish bash bosh. We've got a co-feature.
Stylistically It's Not Easy For Chelli
Let's not beat around the bush. Stylistically, this is a hard fight for Chelli. Morrell is a big southpaw with a proper jab, a left hand he'll throw to the body all night, and that Cuban habit of finding angles when his opponent thinks he's set. Chelli boxes well, throws good combinations on the front foot, but he can be lured into trading. Against most opponents, that's been fine. Against Morrell, that's how rounds disappear.
The thing Chelli has in his favour is height — at six foot one he's not giving up much, which means he can box on the back foot and use the jab without feeling small. If he stays disciplined, gets his shots off first, doesn't fall in love with the right hand on the inside, he can make this competitive. If he tries to gun with Morrell — and his last few fights suggest he might — then it's an early night.
What This Does For Morrell
This is brilliant for Morrell's career. He goes from a one-week notice fight that nearly disappeared to headlining the second-from-top on a DAZN PPV in front of a UK crowd that hasn't seen him box live before. UK boxing fans are the loudest in the world when they take to a fighter. Morrell is the type — Cuban skill, real power, no faff in his interviews — they tend to take to. Win this convincingly and the next conversation is which 175-pound name he wants. Bivol? Beterbiev? Whichever name he calls out from the post-fight, the camera is going to be on him properly.
Luke's Pick
I'm not sitting on the fence. Morrell by stoppage between rounds five and seven. Chelli will have moments — he always does — and he might nick an early round if Morrell is feeling out the new weight. But the body shots will land, the work rate will tell, and once Chelli starts breathing hard the left hand finds its home. A good outing for Morrell. A learning night for Chelli that, if he takes the right lessons, leaves him better than he was before he asked for it.
The Take
Class undercard fight on a class card. The fact this is the second-from-top tells you what kind of week UK boxing is having. Two heavyweight world title fights inside three weeks, a returning Cuban headliner on the second-from-top of one of them, and a domestic challenger ready to go for it. If you're paying for the PPV, you're getting your money's worth before Wardley walks. Levels.