George Liddard has moved quickly. At 24, the Essex southpaw — orthodox, in fact — already holds the British and Commonwealth middleweight titles after a remarkable win over the experienced Kieron Conway last October. Now he faces the sternest examination of his young career: Dario “Spartan” Morello, a 33-year-old Italian with 26 professional wins and the kind of granite chin that has frustrated better-known opponents for a decade. The EBU European Middleweight title is on the line at the Copper Box Arena in London, and Liddard’s trajectory depends on the result.
| Date | Saturday, August 22, 2026 |
| Venue | Copper Box Arena, Hackney Wick, London |
| Promotion | Matchroom Boxing |
| Broadcast | DAZN |
| Start Time | 6 PM BST / 1 PM ET |
| Division | Middleweight (160 lbs) |
| Title | EBU European Middleweight Championship |
| Scheduled Rounds | 12 |
George Liddard (14-0-0) was born in Billericay, Essex, in May 2002 — which makes him just 24 years old going into the biggest night of his career. He turned professional in 2022 under Matchroom and climbed the British domestic rankings at an impressive pace, securing the British and Commonwealth middleweight titles with a tenth-round corner stoppage of Kieron Conway in October 2025. In March 2026 he defended those titles against Tyler Denny, winning on points to confirm his status as England’s leading middleweight prospect.
Liddard fights orthodox, stands 5’10”, and has stopped 8 of his 14 opponents — a respectable KO rate that belies a fighter who can also box intelligently at range. His 62 recorded professional rounds represent a developing mileage bank. He comes in on a 14-fight unbeaten run with his last five results all in the win column.
Dario Morello (26-1-0) is the most experienced opponent Liddard has ever faced. The 33-year-old from Cetraro, Calabria — now based in Bergamo, Lombardia — turned professional in 2015 and has compiled one of the most underappreciated records in European middleweight boxing. His only career defeat came against Luther Clay in September 2019; he has won 10 consecutive bouts since. The Spartan moniker fits: he is durable, disciplined, and rarely stopped.
Morello is also a significant stylistic challenge. He matches Liddard’s 5’10” frame, fights orthodox, and has spent 11 years learning to nullify bigger punchers on the domestic Italian circuit and beyond. Tapology notes his full professional record is not captured — his early Italian career contains bouts not fully indexed — but his recent activity is consistent and he arrives on the back of a unanimous decision win over Faton Vukshinaj in November 2025.
| Liddard | Morello | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 24 | 33 |
| Height | 5’10” | 5’10” |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Record | 14-0-0 | 26-1-0 |
| KO Wins | 8 | 4 |
| Total Rounds | 62 | — |
George Liddard — Last 5 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | Tyler Denny | Win | UD | 12 |
| Oct 2025 | Kieron Conway | Win | TKO | R10 |
| May 2025 | Aaron Sutton | Win | TKO | R5 |
| Jan 2025 | Derrick Osaze | Win | UD | 10 |
| Dec 2024 | Omar Nguale Ilunga | Win | TKO | R1 |
Dario Morello — Last 5 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | Faton Vukshinaj | Win | UD | — |
| May 2025 | Yassin Hermi | Win | UD | — |
| Nov 2024 | Felice Moncelli | Win | UD | — |
| Apr 2024 | Luca Chiancone | Win | UD | — |
| Dec 2023 | Joshua Nmomah | Win | Points | — |
The central question is whether Liddard’s developing power — real enough to stop Kieron Conway, who had been stopped only once before — can penetrate Morello’s decade-hardened durability. Morello’s five most recent wins have all come via decision, and all against opponents who would have loved to stop him. He absorbs clean shots, stays composed, and fights at a tempo that gradually drains opposition confidence.
Liddard has shown genuine tactical intelligence for his age. The Conway stoppage came late in the tenth after Liddard broke Conway down with sustained body pressure — it was not a one-punch finish but an accumulated beating. That is encouraging against a durable Italian who is unlikely to collapse early. If Liddard can replicate that mid-range body-and-head combination game over 12 rounds, he has the tools to win convincingly.
The risk for Liddard is complacency or tactical flatness against an opponent who offers no obvious opening. Morello does not make dramatic mistakes. He forces opponents to create their own chances, then banks rounds through sound positional boxing.
For Liddard: • Establish the jab early and use movement to avoid becoming a stationary target for Morello’s counter • Work the body throughout — Morello’s durability on top comes partly from limited body targeting in his recent fights • Stay patient; push for the TKO only when the cumulative work has built a clear advantage • Trust the corner in mid-rounds and avoid chasing a highlight stoppage at the cost of round-scoring
For Morello: • Control pace — force a deliberate, mid-range fight rather than a high-output exchange • Exploit Liddard’s relative inexperience at the 12-round distance • Stay upright and score in every round; bank decisions against opponents who need drama to win • Use lateral movement to take away Liddard’s straight power punches
Tapology community picks: Liddard 96% / Morello 4% — the home crowd and promotional machine have made Liddard a strong favourite.
Liddard is the rightful favourite on form, age, and trajectory. But Morello has never been stopped, brings considerably more professional experience, and fights exactly the kind of cautious, accumulated-points style that trips up young prospects who expect to impose themselves quickly. This fight goes the distance.
Prediction: George Liddard by majority or unanimous decision. Liddard wins on sustained output, body work, and ring generalship, but Morello’s durability ensures it goes the full 12 rounds. An inside-out performance rather than a headline stoppage.
| Region | Broadcaster | Time |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | DAZN | 6 PM BST |
| United States | DAZN | 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT |
| Ireland | DAZN | 6 PM IST |
The Liddard vs Morello card at Copper Box Arena also features two more British title fights: Jimmy Sains vs Tom Cowling for the Commonwealth Middleweight title and Tiah-Mai Ayton vs Ellie Hellewell for the Commonwealth Female Featherweight title — both on the same DAZN stream.
When is Liddard vs Morello? Saturday, August 22, 2026. The card starts at 6 PM BST / 1 PM ET on DAZN.
Where is the fight? Copper Box Arena, Hackney Wick, London, England.
What title is on the line? The EBU European Middleweight Championship.
Has Morello ever been stopped? No. His only professional loss came via decision to Luther Clay in September 2019, and he has won 10 consecutive bouts since.
How old is George Liddard? Liddard was born on May 30, 2002. He is 24 years old and is fighting for his first European title.
What is Liddard’s current record? 14-0-0 with 8 stoppages from 14 wins.
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