At the time, the fight never moved forward, and Morrell now says avoiding that bout was probably the smart move for Whittaker’s team.
“Strategically avoiding him right now for April 18 was probably the right choice for him,” Morrell’s team said in an interview with Ring Magazine.
The Cuban-born Morrell made it clear he believes Whittaker is already capable of taking a bigger step.
“I think so, yeah, it’s a little too slow,” Morrell said when asked if Whittaker was being moved cautiously. “He has the ability to fight higher quality opponents.”
Whittaker remains one of the most talked about young fighters in British boxing due to his style, personality and amateur background, but criticism of the level of opposition he faced continued to follow him.
Morrell did not dismiss Whittaker’s talent and seemed to understand why his team chose not to risk a late change of opponent against a dangerous puncher with elite amateur experience.
The comments continue to put pressure on the conversation surrounding Whittaker’s match-ups, especially with Morrell openly saying he would like to see him tested against stronger opposition.
Morrell (12-1, 9 KOs) returns to England on Saturday night against Zach Chelli (16-3-1, 8 KOs) in a 10-round light heavyweight contest at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester after his planned fight with Callum Smith fell through. Saturday’s event will be streamed live on DAZN PPV.
