Morrell vs Kalajdzic Predictions: Unbeaten Cuban makes super move

David Morrell takes on Radivoje Kalajdzic for the vacant WBA ‘regular’ light heavyweight championship this Saturday, August 3. The title fight takes place as part of the Riyadh Season card at the SMO Arena in Los Angeles. DAZN PPV will screen the event, which is headlined by Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov. 

Here are my Morrell vs Kalajdzic predictions ahead of this 175-pound prizefight.

The WBA have played a blinder, as per usual, with this fight. Since 2021, the sanctioning body has supposedly been working on their “title reduction plan” to ensure they only have one world champion per division. This has meant either unifying ‘interim’, ‘regular' or ‘super’ champions in each division or just not crowning a new champion when one of those belts is vacated.

But here we have Morrell fighting for the vacant WBA ‘regular’ championship at light heavyweight, despite the division already having Dmitry Bivol as WBA ‘super’ champion. Why crown a new secondary champion when you are supposedly reducing the number of belt-holders? Particularly given your primary champion, Bivol, fought as recently as June?

The answer is of course sanctioning fees, the fiscal lifeblood of these unseemly organisations. Morrell was already the beneficiary of the WBA’s untidy business at super middleweight, holding the ‘regular’ belt down at 168 while Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez reigned as the true, undisputed champion. Alvarez has recently been stripped of his IBF crown at the weight, proving that these cartels will never stop in their dark pursuits.

Politics aside, Morrell vs Kalajdzic is a worthy fight. Morrell is stepping up in weight having enjoyed an unbeaten 10-0 campaign at super middleweight. But despite his lengthy world title reign, with six of his fights being title defences, none of the names on his record particularly stand out. Morrell’s knockout ratio is impressive and you can only beat what is in front of you. But none of his opponents had even fought for a world title before meeting Morrell.

By that metric, Kalajdzic is already ahead of Morrell’s competition thus far. The Serbia-born American boxed Artur Beterbiev for the IBF title back in 2019. The Russian knocked Kalajdzic out in five rounds, par for the course considering Beterbiev’s 100% knockout record that stands to this day. 

Kalajdzic’s only other defeat came via split decision to Marcus Browne in a 2016 eight-rounder in which both men hit the canvas. Considering the fact Browne would go on to fight for Beterbiev’s title too, this was not a bad defeat. In short, Kalajdzic has only lost at the top level.

But man cannot live on defeats alone and Kalajdzic has posted some big wins. A victory over contender Sullivan Barrera catches the eye, as does a win over an admittedly-faded Denis Grachev. Kalajdzic is not an outstanding fighter by any stretch, but he is a worthy opponent.

Ignore the world title billing. Bivol remains the WBA champion at light heavyweight. But in terms of an undercard scrap on a pay-per-view, you could do far worse than this tidy collision.

Morrell vs Kalajdzic Fight Odds

Morrell is a big favourite here at 1/50. Kalajdzic sits at 14/1 while the draw is priced at 25/1.

Morrell vs Kalajdzic Full Card

Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov; For the WBO interim super welterweight title and Madrimov's WBA super welterweight title 

Andy Ruiz vs. Jarrell Miller; Heavyweight 

Jared Anderson vs. Martin Bakole; Heavyweight 

Isaac Cruz vs. Jose Venezuela; For Cruz's WBA super lightweight title 

David Morrell vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic; Light heavyweight 

Andy Cruz vs. Antonio Moran; Lightweight 

Steve Nelson vs. Marcos Ramon Vazquez; Super middleweight 

Ziyad Almaayouf vs. Michal Bulk; Welterweight

Morrell vs Kalajdzic Prediction

Morrell has serious pop in his punches and I think that will be the difference here. Nobody has heard the final bell against this guy since 2020. I don’t think Kalajdzic has the staying power to break that streak.

My tip for you is Morrell to get this one done in rounds 4-6. Beterbiev broke Kalajdzic down in five and I don’t see Morrell doing it much sooner. But at the same time, that fight was five years ago and, while Morrell is no Beterbiev, I think he can match that feat.

Morrell to win in rounds 4-6 is priced at 7/4.

You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.