‘Give him the pain’: meet Zak Chelli, the supply teacher turned boxing sensation

May 14, 2026 - 09:05

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‘Give him the pain’: meet Zak Chelli, the supply teacher turned boxing sensation

The light-heavyweight is a substitute teacher by day but on Saturday delivered a blistering lesson to Cuba’s David Morrell

Last Saturday night in Manchester, Zak Chelli, a 28-year-old supply teacher from Fulham, produced one of the sporting upsets of the year when he knocked out Cuba’s esteemed David Morrell in a stoppage as shocking as it was compelling. Chelli had been offered the fight two weeks earlier and despite the limited preparation he proved himself a formidable late replacement.

Morrell was ahead on the scorecards, but he was hurt badly in the ninth round. In the 10th and last, Mr Chelli – as he is known to his pupils – delivered a blistering lesson before Morrell was rescued by the referee.