Morrell, who was due to face Smith for his WBO interim light heavyweight title, used the moment to publicly challenge Whittaker following the reshuffle that moved him into the main event against Braian Nahuel Suarez.
“Ben Whittaker, I’m ready to fight on April 18. How are you older than me and still a prospect? Let’s give the fans the fight they want to see,” Morrell said on social media.
Morrell seems to be using shame as a tactical weapon here. In boxing, there is a big difference between a prospect, someone who is being built, and a contender, someone who takes real risks.
By calling him a prospect at 28, Morrell is telling the world that Whittaker is being protected, and in boxing, that’s the ultimate insult.
The frustration from fans, and clearly from Morrell, comes from a few key factors that make Whittaker’s current path look like he’s being bullied.
At 28, going on 29, Whittaker is actually older than Morrell, but their resumes aren’t in the same universe. As an Olympic silver medalist, Whittaker was expected to be on the fast track.
Usually, elite amateurs skip the 4-round taxi driver phase and jump into 10-rounders against regional champions with their 8th or 9th fight.
Morrell won a world title (WBA Ordinary Super Middleweight) in just his third professional fight. He didn’t wait for the right time.
Braian Nahuel Suarez is the definition of a safe pick for a main line. While he has a high knockout ratio, his previous trip to the UK saw him lose to Lyndon Arthur.
For a fighter with Whittaker’s hype and WBC/IBF rankings (#3 and #5 respectively), Suarez feels like a lateral move rather than a step up. Morrell points out that if you’re ranked in the top 5, you shouldn’t be fighting guys whose ceiling is tough.
Morrell is a high-risk, low-reward opponent for someone like Whittaker. Morrell is dangerous, technically sound and punches far harder than anyone Whittaker has faced.
