WBO officials have scheduled a purse bid hearing for November 25 to determine promotional rights for the Callum Smith-David Morrell interim light heavyweight title fight.
Matchroom Boxing and Warriors Boxing – the promoters for Smith and Morrell, respectively – were formally notified on Tuesday via the WBO official ruling, a copy of which was obtained by BoxingScene. The session will take place at 11:00 a.m. local time (10:00 a.m. ET/3:00 p.m. GMT) from WBO headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Liverpool’s Smith, 31-2 (22 KOs), is the current WBO interim 175lbs titlist. Cuba’s Morrell – a former secondary titlist both at super middleweight and light heavyweight – is the recognized mandatory challenger.
The minimum accepted bid is $300,000, from which the winning bidder is required to submit a 20 percent deposit. From there, both boxers must confirm in writing within 48 hours of the purse bid result, that they are committed to move forward with the ordered secondary fight.
Additionally, the bout must take place no later than 90 days out from the conclusion of the hearing.
That puts the current deadline at February 25, 2026. However, that date could change should there be a delay in the purse bid proceedings. The latter is a common development as promoters often seek extensions when they believe a deal can be reached – or simply just to buy time and stall out any potential plans for the opposing side.
There are a number of other stipulations outlined in accordance with the forthcoming session. Included are clauses where the WBO won't accept the lack of a network deal or preferred venue ability as viable excuse to further delay the overdue mandatory.
Smith-Morrell was first ordered earlier this summer, shortly after Morrell, 12-1 (9 KOs), edged unbeaten Imam Khataev in their entertaining July 12 clash in Queens, New York. Frequent updates suggested the possibility of the bout moving forward, but the matter ultimately lingered for months.
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri took action and prompted both parties for a firm update. Last Friday’s deadline on that matter came and went without a response from either side.
The respective teams for Callum Smith and David Morrell let Friday’s deadline come and go without a response.
Smith claimed the interim version of the WBO 175lbs title in a points win over countryman Joshua Buatsi on February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He has not fought since that night, though he was previously in talks for targeted showdowns with two-division and current WBC light heavyweight titlist David Benavidez and former title challenger Anthony Yarde.
Much to Smith’s chagrin, Benavidez and Yarde had their own talks and ultimately agreed to meet – their bout takes place this Saturday in Riyadh.
The matter left Smith – a former WBA 168lbs titleholder – without an option, and thus the call from the WBO to next face Morrell.
Should the bout push forward, the winner will become one of three mandatory challengers in waiting to Dmitry Bivol, 24-1 (12 KOs). The lineal and unified WBA, IBF and WBO champion has recovered from surgery and has resumed training for a planned return in the first quarter of 2026.
