“We have an agreement in place and the date of the event is secured,” Olivieri said. “Bursary bid is hereby cancelled. Announcement coming soon.”
While no date or location has been announced, the confirmation is the clearest progress yet for a game that has stalled repeatedly since it was first ordered. The WBO previously granted several deadline extensions after talks failed to progress, before finally scheduling a purse bid as a way to force solutions. That step has now been withdrawn following written assurances from both camps that an agreement has been finalised.
Smith enters the fight as the WBO interim light heavyweight title holder. He last fought in February 2025, when he scored a points victory over Joshua Buatsi on the undercard of Dmitry Bivol’s majority decision victory over Artur Beterbiev in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Smith claimed the interim belt on that show and has not competed since, with the Morrell assignment accounting for much of his inactivity over the past year.
Morrell last fought on July 12, 2025 when he defeated Imam Khataev by a 10-round split decision in Queens, New York. The performance drew mixed reactions and came during an extended negotiation period for the arranged fight with Smith.
In the aftermath of that fight, Morrell made a change in his corner, parting ways with longtime trainer Ronnie Shields and beginning to work with Ismael Salas. He is now training in Las Vegas as preparations for the interim title fight continue.
Once contested, the Smith vs. Morrell winner named WBO mandatory challenger at light heavyweight. However, the WBO is not next in line among the sanctioning bodies, with both the IBF and WBA positioned at the front of the rotation. Bivol still holds the WBO and IBF titles after his rematch over Beterbiev, although he later vacated the WBC belt.
For the time being, the WBO considers the issue resolved. With the purse bid canceled and a date internally secured, a formal announcement confirming the remaining fight details is expected to follow.
