David Morrell Calls Out Ben Whittaker After Callum Smith Withdraws From Title Fight

With the WBO interim light heavyweight belt now off the table, David Morrell just wants the biggest fight he can possibly get on less than two weeks' notice. He believes that the fight is Ben Whittaker.

Morrell was initially scheduled to face Smith, the WBO interim 175-pound champion, in the main event of an April 18 fight card at the M&S Bank Arena. Smith, however, withdrew from the fight with an undisclosed injury, leaving Morell out to dry and forcing Matchroom to pivot to upgrading Whittaker's fight with Braian Suarez to the main event.

Morrell instead wants to face Whittaker in the main event, which he called for on Instagram.

"[Ben Whittaker] I'm ready to fight April 18th," Morrell wrote. "How are you older than me and still a prospect? Let's give the fans the fight they want to see! #SiempreActivo #AlwaysReady"

The matchup would have been Morrell's second world title fight in his last three outings, two fights after losing his undefeated record to WBC and WBA light heavyweight champion David Benavidez. Morrell got back on track with a split decision win over Imam Khataev, who tested positive for clomifene just before the fight, five months after losing to Benavidez.

Ben Whittaker takes main event slot with Callum Smith withdrawal

Despite Morrell's protests, Matchroom has already confirmed it will proceed with Whittaker vs. Suarez as its new April 18 main event. Whittaker, 10-0-1, steps into his first headlining bout since he settled his feud with Liam Cameron in April 2025.

"An injury has forced Callum Smith out of his light heavyweight clash with David Morrell at the M&S Bank Arena Liverpool on Saturday, April 18," the Matchroom statement read. "The event will still go ahead with Ben Whittaker headlining against 21-4 (20 KOs) Braian Suarez. Ticket refunds are available via M&S Bank Arena or Victorry Life if required."

Suarez enters the fight off a second-round TKO win over Sergio Santos Dantas in November 2025, but he is just 4-4 in his last eight fights. Suarez has not won consecutive fights since March 2022, just before he lost his 17-0 record to Albert Ramirez.

With the light heavyweight division at an impasse with champions Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev frustratingly inactive, Morrell had an opportunity to grab the weight class by its throat in his fight against Smith. That opportunity now falls onto Whittaker, who can emerge as a true boxing superstar with a win over Suarez.