The former British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion has not boxed for 10 months but an injury to Callum Smith has given him the shock chance to reignite his career.

Smith had been scheduled to face David Morrell in their long-awaited eliminator for the WBO light-heavyweight title in Liverpool on April 18. But when the local favorite was injured, the fight had to be postponed.

Morrell had offered to fight Ben Whittaker, who was scheduled to box on the undercard, but promoter Eddie Hearn rejected that idea. Instead, three weeks later, Morrell (12-1, 9 KOs) will instead feature on a Queensberry Promotions event in a 10-round clash with Chelli (16-3-1, 8 KOs).

The pair will meet on the show headlined by Fabio Wardley against Daniel Dubois at Co-op Live Arena, Manchester live on DAZN PPV. Morrell, The Ring’s No.5-rated light-heavyweight, has been made a 1/12 (-1200) favourite. Chelli, who had been keeping himself fit in case of this exact eventuality, does not care much for odds.

“I’ve been in the game for 10 years now so I know how it works,” the father-of-one tells The Ring.

“You’ve just got to keep going and eventually it will happen. I believe they call it destiny.

“I got the call about four weeks ago. I was ready then, and I’m ready now. I’m always ready. I actually wanted this to be over 12 rounds but it’s 10.”

The fight follows two difficult years for the 28-year-old from West London, who lost his British and Commonwealth titles to Callum Simpson in August 2024. After that, he did not get his career up and running again until the following June, and has been waiting around ever since.

The business management graduate supplements his boxing earnings with work in the education sector, where he operates as a supply teacher and also a boxing coach to young people.

“I’m full time as a supply teacher these days,” he says. “I can be teaching anything; maths, science, physics, any subject below GCSE level. Sometimes I’ll even cover A-level lessons.

“But also two or three times a week, for a few hours, I’ll go into schools and I’ll teach them boxing. It’s mainly kids with special education needs or those with behaviour issues. With me being a pro boxer, they look up to that and respect it so they listen.

“But actually sometimes it makes it harder because all these kids just ask me ‘sir, sir, when’s your next fight? When’s your next fight?’ I just say I don’t know but I trust the process and look where it has got me.”

Now rank outsider Chelli has the chance to walk back into school next week as the architect of what would be one of the biggest upsets in a British ring for many years. “I’m not treating this like any other fight,” he adds. “I'm seeing it as I need this.

“I've got a family now and I want more kids, more of everything so I need this. I need to fight, I need to win, there's no other option for me but to win.

“That's the mindset, same I had when I went to fight Anthony Sims and everyone around me was telling me I’m going to lose. But I knew I was going to win. To be fair, it was one of the easiest fights I've ever had and if you watch that fight back, it's all about the mindset.

“God willing, I'll win this one and then who knows what's the limit. But I know he's a dangerous fighter, he's the best I'm ever going to fight so I’m taking that seriously.”