David Benavidez says he proved that David Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs) would “Never” beat him last weekend with his victory over the former WBA ‘regular’ light heavyweight champion at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Fans don’t agree.
Morrell Shines Bright
The powerful Cuban southpaw Morrell’s punches damaged the face of WBC interim 175-lb champion Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs), giving him a Frankenstein’s Monster appearance by the end. Benavidez was fighting on fumes from the 10th round, wholly exhausted, and taking vicious punishment from the rallying Morrell.
I’d rather have been Morrell last Saturday night than Benavidez, who took a bucket full of punishment, leaving him looking fully beaten. Morrell arguably has a better future than Benavidez at 175 because he has far more power and technical skills.
If Benavidez believed that he could beat Morrell in a rematch, he wouldn’t have rejected the idea of fighting him again by repeatedly saying that he “doesn’t deserve’ a rematch. It’s one thing to say that Morrell can “never” beat him. Still, it’s another to actually prove it.
Morrell was the better fighter from rounds 10 through 12 when he pressured Benavidez nonstop and had him on the canvas in the 11th. Benavidez got away with murder with his rabbit punches and guard pull-downs that he was using in the fight.
The referee should have said something about those things. Also, Benavidez had his trunks pulled up high, in a Fury-esque style, to limit the target area for Morrell to hit him to the body. The referee should have insisted that Benavidez adjust them.
If there was a rematch, Morrell would be ready to take advantage of Benavidez if he chose to throw punches at the back of the head or hold his left hand down while punching.
It was similar to Benavidez’s previous fight, in which he gassed out after nine rounds against former WBC light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk and took many heavy shots. At light heavyweight, Benavidez showed in his two fights that he’s a nine-round fighter with nothing left in the gas tank from 10 through 12.
The “Never” Claim
“I would love to fight him again. I showed that I was above him and that he’ll never be able to beat me,” said David Benavidez to Ariel Helwani’s channel, talking about David Morrell after beating him last weekend in a grueling fight that left his own face unrecognizable.
“I can get up to 200, but I don’t want to get up over that,” said Benavidez when asked how high he can take his weight. I feel comfortable at 175. I feel with every fight, I’m getting stronger and stronger. For this fight, I came in at 196. That’s probably the heaviest I’ve ever been. Now, I feel 100% comfortable at 175 and being at 195.”
Benavidez weighed in at 174 lbs last Friday, meaning he rehydrated a whopping 22 lbs for his fight against Morrell. That would explain why he looked so much bigger than the Cuban talent inside the ring.
It’s good for Benavidez that Morrell didn’t hold the IBF title because he would have had to deal with a 10-lb rehydration limit for the secondary weigh-on day of the fight. Could Benavidez have handed a rehydration limit? Yes, but he would have likely been drained for the fight, and Morrell would have had an advantage over him.
Last Updated on 02/05/2025
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