No ducking here: David Benavidez-David Morrell a boost to boxing ‘mindset’

There’s many turns the brewing rivalry between unbeaten light-heavyweights David Benavidez and David Morrell might take from its February 1 inception at T-Mobile Arena.

Immediately, the winner positions himself for a 2025 shot at either undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev or his coming opponent Dmitry Bivol in their early 2025 rematch.

And given the talent and youth of the Davids, this might be the start of a riveting multi-fight series, along with a refreshing embrace of the brave matchmaking boxing fans want from their stars.

“This is a fantastic matchup, in its style matchup and the mentality with both risking their unbeaten records,” ProBox TV analyst Chris Algieri said on Tuesday’s edition of “Top Stories,” as Benavidez and Morrell came to Los Angeles to officially announce their four-fight pay-per-view card (Prime Video, PPV.COM) that will be staged at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Benavidez, 29-0 (24 KOs), has already stood as the youngest super middleweight champion in history at age 20, and after being put on hold by Canelo Alvarez for a return title shot, he now stands as WBC interim light heavyweight champion following his June victory over former lineal 175-pound champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

Cuba’s Morrell, 11-0 (9 KOs), is 26 and an impressive talent who also felt jilted by Alvarez and opted for the move to 175, gaining an August victory  and the WBA interim belt in Los Angeles.

“Morrell will be very avoided. He’s an excellent fighter with good power and fantastic length, style and athleticism,” Algieri said. “He’s extremely dangerous.

“This shows that Benavidez is up for all the smoke to get what he wants: to be an undisputed champion.”

Benavidez’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, told BoxingScene Tuesday that he’s been assured by the WBC and WBA that the winner on February 1 will gain an immediate title shot at the Beterbiev-Bivol winner.

The card also includes a 140-pound bout between recent champion Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz of Mexico and San Diego’s Angel Fierro, the WBC featherweight title bout between newly crowned champion Brandon Figueroa and former unified champion Stephen Fulton (a rematch following Fulton’s narrow victory in a thrilling 2021 clash) and a middleweight bout between Jesus Ramos and former unified 154-pound champion Jeison Rosario.

While Cruz lost his WBA belt in August to a shrewd, elusive southpaw in Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela, he expects a “blood and guts” brawl with Fierro.

“Cruz chases the fight and with a willing dance partner [like Fierro], this should be a fight we’re entertained by,” ProBox TV analyst Paulie Malignaggi said.

Fulton defeated Figueroa three years ago, but has since lost in Japan to Naoya Inoue and then survived a knockdown to escape with a disputed victory by decision against Carlos Castro in September.

Figueroa stopped Castro in the sixth round of their 2022 meeting.

“Fulton has come back down – it’s a real test for [him],” Malignaggi said. “Figueroa will bring a lot of pressure.”

Algieri said Fulton looked “downright ordinary” against Castro.

“In terms of timing and weight class, this favors Figueroa,” and could lead to a showdown with undisputed junior-featherweight champion Inoue later in 2025, Algieri said.