Chelli Stops Morrell in 10th Round

Zak Chelli delivered a stunning stoppage victory over heavily favored David Morrell in the 10th and final round of their light heavyweight bout on Saturday night at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England. Referee Darren Sarginson waved off the fight at 2:24 after Chelli trapped the Cuban against the ropes and unleashed a barrage of punches that left Morrell defenseless on his feet.

The contest served as the undercard to Fabio Wardley versus Daniel Dubois. Morrell, a former WBA champion at super middleweight and light heavyweight ranked among the division's top contenders, entered as the clear favorite with a record of 12-1, including nine knockouts. His only prior professional loss came via unanimous decision to David Benavidez in 2025, a fight in which Morrell scored a knockdown. Chelli, the English light heavyweight champion with a record of 17-3-1 and nine knockouts, stepped in on short notice after Callum Smith withdrew from a scheduled matchup with Morrell due to injury.

For much of the fight, Morrell dictated the pace. The southpaw used his jab, reach advantage, and precise combinations to control the action through the early and middle rounds, appearing headed for a...