David Benavidez vs David Morrell Jr. – Who wins grudge match?
Undefeated light heavyweight stars David “El Monstro” Benavidez (29-0, 24KO) and David Morrell Jr. (11-0, 9KO) will settle their years-long feud in the ring this Saturday night, February 1, as they enter the ring at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in the main event of a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video.
Benavidez: “I’m really excited because of all the work I put into this camp. I worked harder this camp than I have for any other camp before in my career. It’s got me ready for Saturday night. Now all the talking is almost done and it’s time to show the work in the ring.”
Morrell: “Fight week is finally here and I’m ready to show everyone that I’m the best light heavyweight in the world. I’ve never been more prepared for a fight. This is going to be one of the best fights of the year and I can’t wait for the bell to ring.”
After years of speculation, going back to 2022, and recent months of heated build up that has seen Benavidez and Morrell share numerous heated face-offs and kinetic back-and-forths, these two fighters in the primes of their careers will finally meet for Benavidez’s Interim WBC and Morrell’s WBA titles.In addition, the winner can establish themself as the future of the light heavyweight division, a potential force on pound-for-pound lists and one of the faces of the sport for years to come.
Ahead of this weekend’s clash, boxing pundits, consisting of pros, legends, trainer, promoters, writers and more, provided their expert views on how the main event may go.
Juan Manuel Marquez, Boxing Legend & ProBox Analyst: “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.”
Yoenli Hernandez, WBA No. 1 Middleweight Contender: “I’ve been in training camp with David Morrell and with the way everything is going, I think he’s going to get the knockout in the eighth round.”
Tim Rickson, British Boxing News: “David Benavidez has quite a recent resume – Dirrell, Angulo, Plant, Andrade, Gvozdyk – and his confidence and ambition knows no bounds.
“This is a certain Fight of the Year contender due to their top ability and clash of styles. Benavidez is the monster his moniker says he is; he’s got power, skill, IQ, engine, and a good chin. Morrell is a typical Cuban stylist, with skill, speed and power.
“Morrell has the size and reach advantage, but DB has the greater experience and scalps on his record at this level and I think that could prove the difference when the fight goes into the trenches. I can envisage volume puncher Benavidez overwhelming Morrell at times during the fight, but can certainly see the action swinging back and forth, especially with all the bad blood between them, as they will both be going out on their shields.
“DB to win on points in an absolute barnstormer!”
Stephen A. Smith, ESPN (Via @Sean_Zittel on X): “David Benavidez vs. David Morrell Jr. is a big fight. 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. Sometimes I wonder if someone is going to hurt him, because he doesn’t really move. 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: “Benavidez vs. Morrell is a very interesting fight and one of the better fights of the year coming up in 2025. It’s a barnburner of a fight. Morrell is a flash Cuban fighter, but he’s also got the power. With David Benavidez, he’s a monster. He overwhelms his opponents, punches hard, has good shot selection and good defense that people sleep on. I’m going with David Benavidez by late stoppage. I think he wears Morrell down and hurts him to the body.”
Large, Barstool Sports: “Some people think that Morrell has been moved along too quickly, but it’s not like Benavidez is the master of the light heavyweight division just yet. Morrell has more than a puncher’s chance and I’m going to buck the trend and take the upset. One of the reasons why is that I’m hoping for a trilogy out of this one, because this first fight is probably gonna be a banger.”
Jesus Ramos Jr., Rising Contender: “I’m very excited for this David Benavidez vs. David Morrell Jr. main event, but I do have Benavidez pulling it off based on his experience. I see him taking over in the later rounds in a competitive fight.”
Raheem Palmer, The Ringer: “Many fans and analysts see this as a 50-50 fight, with two guys in their prime risking it all in a fight that has Fight Of The Year potential. Nonetheless, David Benavidez is anywhere from a -166 favorite to a -220 over David Morrell according to the Vegas odds, denoting that he has anywhere from a 62% to a 68% chance of winning. I think the oddsmakers have this one pegged correctly as Benavidez should have the edge in terms of experience, as he’s faced top notch competition like Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Demetrius Andrade, Caleb Plant and David Lemieux.
“While Morrell has the size, power, reach advantage and speed to make this a tough fight for Benavidez, his experience is lacking as he made his mark as an amateur, but only has 11 fights as a pro for a total of 54 rounds. Coming off a lackluster performance against Radivoje Kalajdzic, it’s tough to imagine him winning here against the more seasoned fighter. This fight is a huge step up in class against an aggressive high volume puncher like Benavidez who can smother an opponent with his offense and yet also has the ability to move, box and make adjustments. That said, Benavidez also left a lot to be desired in his first fight at 175 and you have to wonder if Benavidez has the same power at light heavyweight as he did at Super Middleweight? I’m not sure he does but the top tier experience and pedigree should win out here. I’m picking Benavidez to win this by decision.”
Chris Mannix, Sports Illustrated & Boxing with Mannix & Mora: “Tremendous fight and kudos to both guys for taking it. Two reasons I favour 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.”
Chava Rodriguez, ESPN Deportes: “This is not an easy fight to predict, but I believe that the experience that David Benavidez has gained the last couple of years will work in his favor. It’s a great fight and I wouldn’t be surprised if Morrell won, but I’m going with Benavidez on February 1.”
Keith Idec, Ring Magazine; Uncrowned.com: “Morrell might be the most complete opponent of Benavidez’s 11-year professional career. The skillful, strong southpaw should make the first several rounds very competitive, but his inexperience in this type of battle of attrition will eventually lead to Benavidez breaking down the unbeaten Cuban and stopping him before the championship rounds.”
Jake Donovan, Ring Magazine: “There are some days where I feel like David Benavidez is just too much for David Morrell Jr., and he’s going to properly grow into light heavyweight and stop Morrell. There are other days where I feel we didn’t see the best David Morrell Jr. last August and that he’s going to be even better on February 1 and show that Benavidez bit off more than he could chew. As much as I go back and forth, I’m going with my original instinct of David Benavidez finding a way to win. I don’t see a stoppage either way though. I could see Morrell having a lot of success early, and Benavidez staying in the fight and not falling too far behind before eventually pulling away in the second half. I think he edges out a decision in a very very good fight.”
Brian Campbell, Host of “Morning Kombat”: “How good is David Benavidez vs. David Morrell Jr.? It’s easily one of the best five fights you can make in all of boxing. Two unbeatens in their physical primes ready to face off against one another to see who gets the shot at the undisputed light heavyweight crown. Plus, they don’t like each other. It’s also a perfect style contrast in many ways. They’re both going to bring the passion, intensity and big-time power in both hands. You’ve got the southpaw Morrell with the crafty technical skills and the well-rounded game against the monster himself in Benavidez, who once he starts going downhill on you, it comes down to whether you can handle the heat in the kitchen. 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.”
Dan Rafael, Fight Freaks Unite: “Benavidez vs. Morrell is one of the best fights that could have been made. It’s a 50-50 fight on paper, it has high significance and it’s been brewing for a while. In the ring, both guys are very skilled, but they also usually make for entertaining fights, so I am really looking forward to it. It’s a hard pick but I’m going with Benavidez by decision in a tough fight.”
Mark Anderson, Associated Press: “I expect David Benavidez to go for the knockout in the early rounds, with his aggressiveness also opening him up to taking shots on his end. If David Morrell Jr. can get through those first rounds and land his own share of punches, I like his chances the later the fight goes on. He would either rack up enough points to win on the judges’ cards or deliver a KO late against a worn-down Benavidez.”
Ricardo Celis, ProBox Anchor: “I think that Benavidez vs. Morrell will be a real war between two fighters that come forward. Benavidez may have a slight edge because of his experience and because he uses his jab well. Morrell is going to feel things get harder as he starts to feel the ‘Mexican Monster’s’ power.”
Tris Dixon, Boxing Scene: “What a terrific fight. You always know a match is good when you aren’t sure if it’s actually been made or if it’s fake news doing the rounds. Is it too early for Morrell? Is it too risky for Benavidez? Regardless of the above, it’s hard not to see the styles gelling. We know what we get from both fighters: skill, ambition, power, and the will to fight the best. I’m hoping that the bad blood that’s manifested itself in the build-up means they will come out fast and we get the breathless firefight we crave. If that’s the case, I’m picking Benavidez to ride out some unpleasant moments, and maybe even climb off the deck, to win a battle in which volume and courage see him cross the finish line.”
Elie Seckbach, ESNews: “I can’t wait for February 1, it’s one of the biggest fights of the year. I used to watch Benavidez when he was 11-years-old in the gym with Manny Pacquiao and I’ve seen him grow from there, and now he’s fighting the very very tough David Morrell Jr., who’s also a tremendous fighter. I’m picking Benavidez by late stoppage, but it’s gonna be a great fight. It’s must-see TV. Every second will be exciting.”
Sean Zittel – Sean Zittel YouTube Channel: “In this fight you have two guys with speed, power, undefeated records and a real belief that they can knock the other guy out. I have to favor David Benavidez because he has something that David Morrell Jr. does not, and that’s championship experience in 12 round fights. I think that experience will pay dividends and make Benavidez the savvier fighter. It’s asking a lot of Morrell, who hasn’t lost a lot of rounds or been hurt as a pro, to have to navigate the deep waters against a seasoned and in his prime professionally. I have Benavidez winning this fight between rounds seven and 10 by TKO.”
Marcos Villegas – Fight Hub: “First off, what a great matchup between two of the top 175-pound fighters in the world. This fight for me really comes down to if David Morrell Jr. can handle the volume and pressure of Benavidez over the course of 12 rounds and if can maintain his poise and fight his fight. He’s been uncharacteristically emotional in the build up to this fight and if he decides to mix it up with Benavidez it won’t end well for him. I predict a very close fight and a split decision for either.”
Bob Santos, Trainer of Mario Barrios & Jeison Rosario: “It doesn’t get any better than this fight. You have two elite, young athletes in their primes. This is great for the sports world. Benavidez has fast hands, an unbelievable jab, high ring IQ and savviness from his plethora of fights. David Morrell Jr. has those superior Cuban skills, with his hand speed, foot speed and athleticism to burn. Get your popcorn ready, because it’s gonna be unbelievable. I know both guys very well and I’m rolling with David Morrell Jr. It’s gonna be a great fight, a 50-50 fight.”
Naji Grampus, Cigar Talk: “The best fight of 2025 so far is David Benavidez vs. David Morrell Jr. What more could you ask for? This is truly a 50-50 fight. When I’m looking at it and breaking it down, I have to give the edge to David Benavidez. I think in David Morrell’s last fight, he struggled against the jab and foot movement. I didn’t see the necessary adjustments from him that he needs to overcome the volume and intensity of David Benavidez. Benavidez wasn’t at his best in his last fight, but he still dominated the fight. I’m going with Benavidez by decision, but I could be wrong, because this is a 50-50 fight.”
Jose Romero, Arizona Republic: “I feel like David Morrell will be David Benavidez’s toughest opponent that he’s faced to date. He’ll definitely land some shots here and there and some of them might serve as a wakeup call for Benavidez. But in the end I think that Benavidez will come out on top because he’s faced better opponents and he knows what the bright lights feel like.”
Derrick James, Trainer of Jermell Charlo, Frank Martin, Ryan Garcia: “I believe that Benavidez has the faster hands and better foot movement, while Morrell could be the bigger puncher. Morrell has to cut the ring off and set Benavidez up. Whoever implements their strategy best will be the winner.”
Kevin Iole, KevinIole.com: “I love this light heavyweight title fight on February 1 between David Benavidez and David Morrell Jr. Both guys are in their primes, both guys are unbeaten and both guys deserve to be right there at the top of the division. I’m going to take David Benavidez because I believe he has more ways to win the fight. He can box, he can punch, he can make adjustments in the fight and I believe he’s fought better competition. I think Benavidez wins an excellent fight by decision.”
Manouk Akopyan, Ring Magazine: “David Benavidez vs. David Morrell Jr. is a welcome breath of fresh air for boxing featuring two undefeated light heavyweights in their prime squaring off for supremacy in a highly competitive fight. The 50-50 matchup sells itself, but the disdain between the Davids has been a surprising development throughout the buildup of their bout. Benavidez, 28, and Morrell, 27, both understand the magnitude of their high-stakes meeting. The winner is sitting pretty and pounding the table for the undisputed light heavyweight championship and even Canelo Alvarez. The loser potentially toils with middling opposition over the next 18 months as they rebuild their stock.
“This matchup presents a classic clash of styles: Benavidez’s relentless and aggressive offensive approach against the crafty southpaw Morrell’s technical yet prodigious finesse. Like oddsmakers, I edge a thrilling fight toward Benavidez, who has more experience and a proven track record at the elite level.”
Joe Santoloquito, Ring Magazine: “I like David Morrell in this one. I will admit he has a lot going against him, given Benavidez’ championship-rounds pedigree. Morrell, I feel, has dimensions to his skillset that we have yet to see and feel someone as talented as Benavidez will make them surface.”
Jeandra Labeuf, Best Women’s Boxing Show: “David Benavidez’s relentless pressure and physicality will eventually overwhelm David Morrell Jr. While Morrell may have early success with his technical skills and athleticism, Benavidez’s ability to cut off the ring and impose his will will begin to wear him down. By the later rounds, Benavidez pace and power will dominate, leaving Morrell struggling to keep up. I’m expecting to see Benavidez take over decisively as the fight progresses, potentially securing a late stoppage or a dominant decision victory.”
Matt Lenihan, Boxing Social: “For David Benavidez vs. David Morrell Jr. I have to favor Benavidez, but only slightly. Both guys are fighting in their primes and putting it all on the line, but I believe David Benavidez has the crucial edge in big fight experience. He’s fought at a higher level with significant victories over world class operators like Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade. I also believe his power could come into play down the stretch. So for me, I lean David Benavidez by late stoppage.”
Ron Goodall, FightHype: “I think on paper, this is the perfect fight for each Benavidez and Morrell. Although both fighters possess similar size attributes, I have Benavidez winning. His experience will produce a dominant second half, which could lead to a potential late stoppage.”
Jamil Parker, YSM Sports Media: “First I would like to commend David Benavidez for taking on tough challenges again and again, but stylistically David Morrell Jr. is a bad matchup for him. Benavidez thrives on pushing the pace, punching in bunches and overwhelming opponents with his size and volume. Morrell is bigger, faster and more skilled than Benavidez. In those early rounds when Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade out boxed Benavidez, Morrell will have the same success, but will hurt him in the process, constantly turning him and using angles while punching in between Benavidez’s punches. I see Morrell stopping Benavidez in either round nine or 10.”
Cynthia Conte, Best Women’s Boxing Show: “Benavidez vs Morrell is a mouth-watering fight. They both are undefeated dangerous fighters that both need to work behind their jabs. I expect Morrell to be flashy and quick with his hands and feet in the first couple rounds, but once Benavidez finds his rhythm and figures out Morrell’s timing, I believe Benavidez’s volume punching, non-stop pressure and punishing Morrell’s body will break Morrell’s will. I’m taking Benavidez by late TKO.”
Ricardo Lopez, La Opinion: “David Benavidez vs. David Morrell is, in a word, an explosion. Two dynamic and talented sluggers who guarantee an awesome match. It can be said that Benavidez hasn’t faced an opponent as good as Morrell, and for sure the Cuban hasn’t been in the ring with a champion like the Mexican-American Benavidez. Both fighters are really stepping up for the fans with this one. This will be one spectacular fight where both guys will be punched… and hurt. Benavidez prevails by a close decision where his big heart will be proven.”
Ronnie Duncan, Sports Rap Network: “It’s going to be a good one…and for a moment, Morrell’s awkwardness will cause some problems, however Benavidez’s work rate and intestinal fortitude will stop Morrell by knockout in round seven.”
Rob Tebbutt, Boxing News: “This is a bout that is fraught with danger for both men, which is why it brings such intrigue. For Benavidez, a relentless pressure fighter who throws punches in bunches, the explosive offense of Morrell could spell danger, particularly early on in the fight. Benavidez won’t be able to rely on sheer brute force to grind Morrell down, and will have to be switched on defensively from the outset. He will not be able to give any free shots away to Morrell. Morrell, on the other hand, must try and make his power count early in the contest. We’ve seen Benavidez overwhelm opponents as the rounds go on, and Morrell has only been the twelve round distance twice in his career.
“I think Benavidez will struggle early on with the angles and variety of Morrell’s offense, but should he survive the first four rounds without taking too much damage, I’m banking on the experience and engine over the longer distance to be enough to outlast Morrell. Make no mistake, this is a fight that could go either way, but I’m edging towards Benavidez weathering an early storm before finishing strong and rallying to a competitive decision victory.”
2ToneDaSupastar, 2ToneDaSupastar YouTube Channel: “I am going with the Mexican Monster David Benavidez. He’s got too much experience. Morrell has never fought in a fight of this magnitude, while Benavidez has faced Demetrius Andrade and Caleb Plant. So I have to go with David Benavidez.”
Frank Sanchez, Heavyweight Contender: “This fight on February 1 will be very difficult for both fighters. However, I predict that David Morell Jr. will win. He has everything he needs to win and become champion. He has the desire and is very hungry and eager to prove himself. I know he’s going to achieve his goals for Cuba.”
ShowBizzAdult, ShowBizzTheAdult YouTube Channel: “I’m going with the Mexican Monster because of his experience. Morrell doesn’t have the same kind of pro experience that Benavidez has. Now we have seen fighters with very little pro experience make a huge splash as a pro. But those fighters were all Olympic champions, and while Morrell has a great Cuban amateur background, Benavidez just has more pro experience on his resume.”
EzRaw, Brunch Boxing: “To me this fight is a top three matchup that you can make in boxing right now. These are two guys in their physical primes and it promises a violent outcome. I think Morrell will look to do damage from a distance, while Benavidez will look to go inside and break his opponent down. That’s where Benavidez has been successful and I think he’ll do it again with a stoppage in the ninth round.”
Liliana Ulloa, Xicana Boxing: “What was already a salivating matchup at 168 pounds now reaches a boiling point at 175. Both looked mortal in their debuts at 175, each going the distance. But as Benavidez told me in our interview, not all performances are created equal. Morrell went 12 rounds with an unheralded opponent, while Benavidez fought a former WBC light heavyweight champion and Olympic medalist, dominating despite injuries. Morrell’s footwork and Cuban-style boxing make the early rounds tricky for Benavidez, who might struggle to close the distance. But once Benavidez finds his rhythm, ‘El Monstro’ delivers. Expect ‘RoboCop’ to eventually cut off the ring with relentless pressure, corner Morrell, and unleash his trademark lightning-fast combinations for a late stoppage.”
Steven Cureño III, K.O. Artist Sports: “Benavidez vs. Morrell is a true 50/50 fight! Both guys were monsters at 168 and had debuts at 175 that left the public wondering if they would be the same menacing powerhouses they were at the lighter weight class. This fight comes down to experience, and with over double the amount of fights, Benavidez has that in his pocket. I see ‘The Mexican Monster’ edging out a close, tactical but violent decision after 12 rounds.”
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