At 35, coming off a longer-than-expected stretch out of the ring, Smith described April 18 at the M&S Bank Arena as a homecoming. The reality is sharper than that. He has an opening again, and at this stage of his career, it can’t sit there untouched for long.
Smith has not fought in Liverpool since 2019, and he admitted he “didn’t expect to be out of the ring this long” after his win over Joshua Buatsi. That detail speaks to how quickly relevance can fade in a crowded section. The WBO interim title on the line against Morrell is not decorative. This is his route back to the championship picture.
He made it clear himself. “Right now, Dmitry Bivol is the man in the division,” Smith said, adding that the winner of this fight “could fight or be elevated for the belt.” That recognition reflects the reality of the interim route. A win puts Smith directly behind the champion in the pecking order and keeps him within reach of a title opportunity, regardless of how Bivol’s next move unfolds.
Morrell’s presence is what makes the night unstable. He is younger, technically polished and used to fighting at a high level early in his career. Smith called him “a good fighter with good skills” who has been tested since his second or third professional bout. That assessment is accurate, and it explains why this homecoming carries risk. Morrell is not traveling to Merseyside to support a script. He comes to win and change the direction of the division.
Smith insists he believes he can “beat anybody in the world”, and that becoming a two-weight world champion remains his goal. What is striking is how quickly the conversation returns to Bivol. Even as he warned himself to look past Morrell, he admitted that facing Bivol would be ideal and referred to their amateur history as familiarity rather than fantasy.
Liverpool will energize him, and he clearly appreciates that environment. “Nothing beats fighting in front of your own Liverpool,” he said, recalling the six-year absence. The crowd will be strong, the area familiar and the event built around its name. That comfort can sharpen the execution, but it also raises expectation, and the pressure in this building will fall on Smith.
Light heavyweight stops at no one. Smith rebuilt his position after the loss to Artur Beterbiev and retired himself at 175. This battle determines whether that rebuild restores him back to the front of the queue or lets him circle back around the title picture, with less clear routes remaining as the division moves forward.
