Has Morrell Faced Tougher Competition Than Benavidez?

Trainer Jose Benavidez Sr. is pleased that David Morrell got into an altercation with his son, David Benavidez, today during their media workout in Miami. Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) didn’t want to shake Benavidez’s hand during their face-off, and this angered him enough to shove the Cuban.

(Credit: Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions)

Jose Jr. got worked up more than Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) by the face-off incident, and he’s vowing that he’ll knock out WBA ‘regular’ light heavyweight champion Morrell in their fight on February 1st on PBC on Prime Video PPV at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Morrell might be a bit too good for Benavidez and could knock him out if he can land as often as his last opponent, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, did in their fight on June 15th. Gvozdyk landed 223 punches on Benavidez. He won’t be upright if he lets a Morrell land that many shots. Morrell is possibly the biggest puncher in the 175-lb division, and he destroys fighters who stand in front of him, trying to slug.

The only reason Morrell didn’t stop his last opponent, ‘Hot Rod’ Radivoje Kalajdzic, on August 3rd, is because he was on the move all night, making it difficult for him to land more than one punch at a time.

Trainer Talk

“This is what you expect when you get two young fighters, strong and hungry. This is what we expect,” said Jose Benavidez Sr. to Fight Hub TV, reacting to the altercation between David Benavidez and David Morrell during today’s media workout in Miami.

“I like what David Morrell says. He says he’s fighting a Robocop. Keep thinking that because you’re going to see a tornado on the day of the fight. You’re going to get f*** up. That’s what’s going to happen. He’s saying David [Benavidez] hasn’t fought anybody. Who the f*** have you fought?

“There’s levels to this. David is on another level. David [Benavidez] was trying to shake his hand. He was trying to be polite, but he [Morrell] was mad because he was nervous. That’s what’s happening. He doesn’t know what to do at this point.

“He’s never been at this level. I hope he comes focused because on the day of the fight, David [Benavidez] is going to have all the people behind him, and he’s going to feel it. So, I hope he [Morrell] takes it right. He’s never been in this kind of fight.”

Cuban Connection

Benavidez Jr. is right that Morrell has never fought at this level professionally. However, in the amateurs, he fought two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Julio Cesar La Cruz, who is better than anyone Benavidez has fought during his professional career—even better than Benavidez. Morrell does have more than enough experience to defeat Benavidez.  Morrell has also fought the outstanding Cuban Olsleys Iglesias during the amateurs, and he’s also a better fighter than anyone Benavidez has fought in the pros. 

“David is on another level. David is at a different breed. David is going to knock him. I guarantee you a knockout,” said Jose Sr., promising that his son, Benavidez, will knockout Morrell.

Jose Sr. is putting much pressure on Benavidez, guaranteeing a knockout against Morrell. This is a better fighter than anyone he’s faced yet, and he’s also a bigger puncher as well.

Benavidez claimed he couldn’t punch the way he normally does in his last fight against Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his debut at 175 due to injuries affecting both hands, but he’s never been a KO artist during his career. His thing is to land an enormous amount of shots to get his knockouts, but he can’t do that against Morrell without getting clipped.

Benavidez vs. Gvozdyk Punch Stats

– Oleksandr Gvozdyk: 223 of 675 for 33%
– David Benavidez: 270 of 749 for 36%