David Morrell paused for thought and considered what he is about to face this weekend.
On Saturday, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, he takes an abrupt step up to meet one of the world’s best fighters, David Benavidez, in an attractive match that is one of the best that can be made in the sport.
For all that Morrell lacks in professional experience, he was a top Cuban amateur and the enthusiasm in fight circles around his time as a pro has swollen quickly.
Now, at 11-0 (9 KOs), the 27-year-old was asked whether he felt the hard-hitting and industrious Benavidez would give him his hardest and toughest fight to date.
“I wouldn’t say it’s the hardest, but definitely the toughest,” Morrell said. “Those are two different things. It wouldn’t be the hardest fight, because Benavidez’s boxing skills suit the boxing I can do. But it is the toughest because everyone knows Benavidez is a wall that I’m facing. Breaking a wall requires effort. It’s no secret to anyone that he’s a wall I’m gonna have in front of me and to break down a wall you need a pick-axe and shovel. Benavidez is a super-strong, super-fast fighter. This fight is not going to be easy at all.”
Victory for Morrell would put him not only in line for another huge fight at 175lbs, but it could launch him into lists ranking the best fighters on the planet. Morrell strives for such recognition and always has done.
“Fighting is the most important thing in my life. Fights may come and fights may exist, but I truly think that this fight is the most important of my life and it is something I have wanted a long time – not just for the fight itself, but more like to unmask that whole thing about the ‘Mexican Monster,’” he added.
Benavidez has boxed 18 more times as a pro than his opponent, but southpaw Morrell said that numbers would count for little when the two meet and start swapping punches.
Trained by Ronnie Shields, Morrell believes his ability to fight at short-, mid- and long-range makes him standout. He also has speed, although he admits the fast fists of Benavidez might be quicker than his on the inside.
“Everyone has their own point of view and their own way of seeing things, but his experience won’t help him here,” Morrell said. “It’s obvious that he has way more experience than I do, he has a lot more fights than me, but there are many boxers who have had way fewer fights than other boxers and have come out victorious.”
Morrell also understands that he is in the blue corner. The career momentum is with Benavidez. The talk has been of Benavidez going into a fight with the winner of the February 22 rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, who again meet for all of the marbles at 175lbs. Morrell might have a big reputation, even though he made hard work of Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic on his way to a decision in August, but he knows he would be an unfashionable victor in Vegas.
“You know he’s the favorite,” Morrell admitted. “I have to win 100 per cent of the rounds to not leave it to chance because boxing is unpredictable and, obviously, he’s not an easy opponent. I definitely have to win the majority of the rounds. It won’t be a boring night at all. I think it’s going to be one of the best fights of the year and one of the best fights we’ve seen in the last few decades, with all due respect to all the [past] fighters that deserve it, of course.”
Morrell has wrapped up a long and punishing training camp. “We’ve had everything important,” he insisted. “Everything we needed for this camp.”
And that means he has no doubt about what happens on Saturday night.
“The fight is already over, 100 per cent,” he said.
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