David Benavidez is set to lock horns with David Morrell on Saturday, in a final eliminator to decide who will get their shot at the winner of Beterbiev vs Bivol 2, and who will take their first career defeat.
Morrell holds a record of 11-0 with nine wins by knockout, whereas ‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez boasts a record of 29-0, with 24 knockouts.
Both aggressive fighters, Morrell most recently bested highly ranked Radivoje Kalajdzic, whilst Benavidez, who aims to imitate the offensive style of Manny Pacquiao, holds wins over the likes of Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade and David Lemieux.
Morrell started his career in 2019, six years after his opponent, who debuted in 2013 and has not faced the same level of opposition as his counterpart.
However, Benavidez has only fought once at light-heavyweight, against Oleksandr Gvozdyk, and, at the heavier weight, did not appear to be ‘The Monster’ that everyone had expected.
Though Morrell is the underdog in the fight, top boxing trainer Teddy Atlas revealed how the fight is won and lost, and what punch Morrell will need to capitalise on if he is to win the fight.
Teddy Atlas says David Morrell must use the right hook
On his YouTube series, The Fight Plan, Atlas breaks down exactly what Morrell must do to win the fight against the aggressive Benavidez.
He says: “Morrell has to find something he can do to land in this fight on a consistent basis, and one of those things is a counter-punch opportunity.”
Atlas, who assisted Cus D’Amato in the training of Mike Tyson, goes on to suggest that ‘If he can entice David Benavidez to throw a big right hand, but he can entice him to throw it from too far away, by stepping out to make him reach a little bit with it […] you got an opportunity for that counter right hook’.
Atlas does however point also to a weakness of Morrell’s, suggesting that when he throws the left hand to the body, ‘he drops the right hand, he doesn’t keep that up’, and that, as a result, Benavidez may find his key to victory in the left hook.
Atlas does give his overall prediction and believes Benavidez will emerge victorious.
Oscar De La Hoya believes Benavidez beats Canelo
Though the winner of the fight will become next in line to face the winner of Beterbiev vs Bivol 2, with Bivol openly welcoming the Morrell/Benavidez fight, a fight between Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez will always be on the minds of fans, with Benavidez recently calling out Canelo once more.
Canelo has faced much criticism recently, opting to face the likes of a slowed-down Golovkin, a super-welterweight in Charlo, and easier opposition in Ryder and Berlanga instead of a mega-fight with the fellow Mexican.
Oscar De La Hoya suggests when speaking to DAZN, that if the fight were to ever happen, Benavidez ‘will win and will win easy’, and that Canelo is ‘naturally slowing down due to age’.
It seems that at this point in his career, Benavidez may prove too much risk for Canelo, who aims to retire in only a few years.
In what was named one of Turki Alalshikh’s top fights to make in 2025, Canelo is alleged to be facing Terence Crawford in September this year.