Ben Whittaker says David Morrell thought Zak Chelli fight would be ‘light work’

Whittaker believes Morrell underestimated Zak Chelli but expects a different outcome if the fight happens again

Ben Whittaker believes David Morrell’s stoppage loss to Zak Chelli was one of the most surprising results of the year, comparing it to a major World Cup upset. The unbeaten British light heavyweight suggested Morrell may have overlooked Chelli but backed the Cuban to fare better in a rematch.

“Yeah, that was some like Panama beating England or something in the World Cup.

“It wasn’t supposed to happen, and I think Morrell knew it wasn’t supposed to happen. He just probably turned up thinking it’s going to be some light work. Got caught with a silly shot really and that’s boxing for you,” Whittaker said when discussing the defeat during an interview with Ring Magazine.

Morrell entered the May 9 bout as a heavy favorite but suffered a 10th-round stoppage loss to Chelli in one of the biggest upsets of 2026. Few observers predicted Chelli would emerge victorious against the highly regarded Cuban contender.

While Whittaker was critical of Morrell’s approach, he stopped short of dismissing the Cuban’s future chances. Instead, the British light heavyweight suggested the result may have been a case of Morrell underestimating his opponent rather than a sign that his career has permanently gone off course.

“But if they run it back, I don’t think that’ll be the same. I think he’ll turn up and do the job on him,” Whittaker said.

Whittaker is currently preparing for his June 27 bout against Peter “Popeye” Dosenovic in Brooklyn, New York, which will mark his first professional fight in the United States. The unbeaten British light heavyweight has continued to climb the rankings and has recently been linked to several notable domestic matchups, including a potential showdown with Anthony Yarde.