On February 2, 2025, an electrifying showdown took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, between David Benavidez and David Morrell Jr. The two undefeated light heavyweights battled for the interim WBC light heavyweight title and the WBA "regular" light heavyweight championship.
Ultimately, David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) emerged victorious, unifying the light heavyweight championship by earning a unanimous decision over challenger David Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs). The judges scored the fight 118-108 and twice 115-111 in favor of Benavidez.
With this win, Benavidez retained his interim WBC belt and claimed the WBA title, positioning himself for a future shot at the unified world title. Benavidez now has an even bigger fight on his horizon with the winner of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 which is slated for February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Fight Highlights
The two set a fast pace with both fighters looking for a strong start to the bout. Benavidez, usually known for slow starts, came out swinging and his Cuban opponent had no issue firing back. While Morrell was definitely a game opponent, it became apparent that Benavidez was the more efficient fighter. He was able to buzz Morrell with a straight right, attack to the body with ease and come out of most exchanges as the winner.
Morrell's competitiveness and willingness to trade briefly paid off in Round 11. He knocked down Benavidez with a counter punch that caught his opponent off balance. However, Benavidez quickly recovered and the advantage was wiped away when Morrell was deducted a point for a punch that landed after the bell.
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Punch Stats
Compubox shared the punch stats for the fight. The numbers told the story of Benavidez's body punching and power shots playing the deciding role in the bout. Per Compubox, Benavidez landed 48% of his power punches, while 76 of his 224 landed punches were body shots.
Expert Opinions and Predictions
With fight week underway and a big showdown looming, experts weighed-in to offer predictions and analysis for this Saturday’s matchup between Interim WBC Light Heavyweight Champion David “El Monstro” Benavidez and WBA Light Heavyweight Champion David Morrell Jr. as they headlined a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Leading up to the fight, numerous boxing experts offered their insights. The pundits unanimously expressed their anticipation for this matchup, with most seeing paths to victory for either fighter. The oddsmakers agree on the 50-50 nature of the fight, with DraftKings Sportsbook listing the odds as Benavidez -190 and Morrell +155.
Here's a glimpse of what some prominent figures in the boxing world had to say:
- Juan Manuel Marquez (Boxing Legend): "This is going to be a complicated fight for Benavidez across the first few rounds. However, Benavidez’s speed and the level of his past opponents are better than Morrell’s. Benavidez has shown us his speed, his power and his conditioning, which will be very important and allow him to overcome Morrell and win this fight by a decision."
- Stephen A. Smith: "I’m a huge David Benavidez fan and I applaud him because he ducks no one. He’s ready to fight at all times. He is the Mexican Monster. He’s shown that he can take a punch and he can damn sure give one, with either hand. He’s got speed, he’s got power, he’s got boxing ability and he’s got heart. I don’t know if there’s a bigger fan of David Benavidez than me. I have a lot of love for his skills and I want to see him on the big stage.”
- Lamont Roach (WBA Super Featherweight World Champion): "I’m going with David Benavidez by late stoppage. I think he wears Morrell down and hurts him to the body."
- Chris Mannix (Sports Illustrated & Boxing with Mannix & Mora): "Two reasons I favor Benavidez: Experience and activity. Benavidez’s pro resume is significantly better and that matters, particularly in the later rounds. That’s also where Benavidez’s motor will become a factor. I see this being a competitive fight over the first half with David taking over to win a clean decision in the second."
- Brian Campbell (Host of “Morning Kombat”): "This is the epitome of a 50-50 fight at the highest level. I can certainly see a decision that looks like it could go either way, but until I see David Benavidez lose, I’m not going against the monster.”
Benavidez vs Morrell FULL FIGHT: February 1, 2025 | PBC on Prime Video PPV
AI Analysis
Artificial intelligence offered its analysis of the fighters' skillsets:
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- SKILLSET:
- Benavidez: Relentless offensive style, combination punching, pressure.
- Morrell: Technical skill, counterpunching, footwork, ring IQ.
- Edge: David Morrell. His technical precision and adaptability give him the edge in pure boxing skill.
- SPEED:
- Benavidez: Excellent hand speed, especially in combinations.
- Morrell: Quick hands, but more calculated.
- Edge: David Benavidez. His hand speed in combination punching is slightly more impactful in exchanges.
- ATHLETICISM:
- Benavidez: Deceptively athletic, fluid movement.
- Morrell: Elite athlete, explosive movement, quick reflexes.
- Edge: David Morrell. His explosive and dynamic athletic ability shines in this category.
- POWER:
- Benavidez: Heavy hands, relies on accumulation.
- Morrell: Explosive, concussive power, one-punch knockout ability.
- Edge: David Morrell. His one-punch knockout ability makes him more dangerous in this category.
- CHIN:
- Benavidez: Proven durability, never visibly hurt.
- Morrell: Chin relatively untested at the elite level.
- Edge: David Benavidez. His proven ability to withstand punishment gives him the nod.
- STAMINA:
- Benavidez: Relentless work rate, thrives in long battles.
- Morrell: Stamina appears strong, but untested in prolonged wars.
- Edge: David Benavidez. His consistent work rate and ability to sustain pressure over 12 rounds make him the favorite in this area.
AI Prediction: David Benavidez wins via unanimous decision or late TKO (Rounds 10-12).
Benavidez’s relentless pressure, high volume, and durability would likely wear down Morrell as the fight progresses. While Morrell’s technical skill and early power could give him an advantage in the first half of the fight, Benavidez’s ability to take punches and keep applying pressure would eventually exhaust Morrell.
Fighter Reactions
“This is ‘El Monstro’s’ world,” said Benavidez, nicknamed the Mexican Monster. “Shout out to Morrell. I knew he’d be tough and that’s why I prepared so hard for this. I’m happy we were able to give the fans a great show tonight.”
Morrell (11-1) suffered the first loss of his career after dominating since turning pro in 2019. “It was a good fight,” Morrell said. “This is boxing, some days you win and some days you lose. Tonight was my turn. I’m young and I’ll keep pushing for another opportunity.”
Undercard Results
In the co-main event, Stephen Fulton Jr outpointed champion Brandon Figueroa to win the WBC featherweight belt by unanimous decision. It marked the second time Fulton beat Figueroa.
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In a wire-to-wire, action-packed super lightweight brawl, Isaac Cruz outlasted Angel Fierro with a unanimous decision in 10 rounds. Per Compubox, the boxers combined to land 486 of 1,410 punches thrown.
Middleweight Jesus Ramos Jr defeated Jeison Rosario when referee Bob Hoyle stepped in to stop it at the 2:18 mark of the eighth round in what was scheduled for 10 rounds.
Detailed Round Breakdown
All three judges awarded Benavidez the first two rounds and the majority of the middle rounds up until the tenth. Round 5 was disputed-one of the three judges scored it for Morrell. Rounds 10 and 11 were the most eventful:
- Two judges scored round 10 for Morrell.
- In round 11, Benavidez was knocked down, while Morrell had a point deducted.
- All three judges scored the round 10-8 for Morrell due to the knockdown and the penalty.
Scorecard Summary
| Round | Judge 1 | Judge 2 | Judge 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benavidez | Benavidez | Benavidez |
| 2 | Benavidez | Benavidez | Benavidez |
| 5 | Benavidez | Benavidez | Morrell |
| 10 | Benavidez | Morrell | Morrell |
| 11 | Morrell (10-8) | Morrell (10-8) | Morrell (10-8) |