A beat-up-looking David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) boasted to the media that he “hit harder ” than David Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs) after defeating him by a 12-round unanimous decision in a fight much closer than the scores turned in by the Nevada judges on Saturday night.
Going by appearances, the relatively unmarked Morrell definitely hits harder than Benavidez. It was a close fight that could have been a draw, but the judges gave it to ‘The Mexican Monster’ by the scores 115-111, 115-111, and 118-108.
The referee interrupted Morrell’s momentum when he penalized him for hitting after the bell to end the 11th round. Morrell had hurt Benavidez and was trying to finish him off. We’ll never know what would have happened, but the timing of that point deduction was bad.
Benavidez fought like he always does, throwing a lot of punches and using his work rate as his defense to out-produce his opponent. The Cuban Morrell was more focused on landing hard shots than Benavidez’s scattergun approach.
After the fight, Benavidez said he wanted the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 winner to come to the U.S. to defend against him. It’s unclear if he expects that to happen. That would be surprising if it happened. Benavidez must have an ego problem if he really thinks that the Beterbiev-Bivol 2 fight winner would volunteer to fight him in the U.S.
Benavidez’s Claim
“I know how to work a 12-round fight. He hit harder than anyone I faced, but I hit harder. I showed what level I’m on,” Benavidez said after his win against Morrell. “I was bigger and stronger and a better dancer. I took control of the fight immediately. I can attack every corner of the body.
“This is ‘Monster’s world.”
Benavidez doesn’t hit harder than Morrell, nor does he hit puncher harder than Yoenli Hernandez, who fought on the undercard.
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