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Benavidez vs Morrell Prediction: Who Wins Saturday?
The weigh-ins are complete and the time for talking is finally over. One of boxing’s most competitive matchups between David Benavidez of Phoenix (29-0, 24 KOs) and David Morrell Jr. of Minneapolis is set for Saturday, February 1, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. While no championship titles are at stake, the winner becomes the top challenger to the unified titles in the light heavyweight division now held by Artur Beterbiev.
Both rivals weighed in at 174.2 pounds. It’s fitting for a matchup experts see as 50-50 between two undefeated fighters who have taken care of business, with every fighter standing across from them in the ring.
Until Saturday night.
Last Look at Benavidez vs Morrell Jr.
Fans packed the MGM Grand Garden Arena to see all the fighters weigh in. Without a doubt it will be a Team Benavidez house at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday based on the Mexican and Mexican-American fans who made their way to Las Vegas to see El Monstruo. Many wore their Team Benavidez colors and made plenty of noise.
Morrell Jr. took it all in stride, trolling the fans by blowing them kisses from the stage and the scale with a smile and by sticking out his tongue at them, saying later “it’s all love.” It’s hater ju-jitsu to turn it around in your favor by brushing it off.
After the pushing and shoving at earlier events, both men were kept a safe distance away from each other during the final faceoff, with TGB Promotions president Tom Brown at the ready to make sure a surprise slap didn’t cause a cut and derail the fight.
“I don’t need any keys to defeat Benavidez. I’ve already seen what he’s about. It’s all fake,” said Morrell Jr. “I’m all ready with what I need to come out on top. It’s one thing to say you’re going to do. The other one is to do it. Very, very different. Let’s see if he’s actually able to do what he says.”
Benavidez greeted his fans in Spanish, then said, “This Saturday, like I said, all the talking is done. I’m going to beat the fuck outta David Morrell Saturday.” Asked a second time, Benavidez emphasized each word, adding “He’s going to see who the Mexican Monster is this Saturday.”
True Test at Light Heavyweight
There is much to like about this fight between talented opponents who apply their skills differently. Neither man has ever been in real jeopardy in their previous professional fights.
Fans hope this is the fight where one or both men are truly tested. Will we see the extent of their talents, but even more so the will to win. I’m not sure it will happen, but I hope to see it, setting the tone for the 2025 boxing season. Who doesn’t love a home opener?
Benavidez’s Experience and Morrell Jr.’s Potential
Benavidez has the superior resume, though most of it came in the super middleweight division. He’s fought a broader array of skill sets throughout his career, although Benavidez has never faced a Cuban school amateur fighter. Benavidez has faced multiple fighters relying on their technical skills rather than firepower. Either way, he’s always come out ahead.
Morrell Jr. will be only the third southpaw opponent of Benavidez’s career. The others were Demetrius Andrade, who was blown out in six rounds, and Denis Douglin in 2016, who was losing on the cards but still competitive until Benavidez stopped him in the final round of their ten-round bout.
Benavidez never comes blazing out of the corner at the opening bell. He’s willing to lose the first few rounds and give his opponent and their fans some hope. Just as they look like they may take Benavidez to the bank, the tide turns in the middle rounds as Benavidez comes on strong. Suddenly, Benavides is back in control.
Morrell Jr.’s training allows him to handle many different styles from a wide variety of opponents. This is the strength of the Cuban system. But Morrell Jr. isn’t the prototypical Cuban fighter. He has power. He’s willing to use it and mix it up. He passes the eye test, and he’s firing up the fans, promising a fan-friendly action fight.
But there’s no denying that in his 11-fight resume, Morrell Jr. hasn’t fought the quality of opponents as a pro that Benavidez has. The most notable names on his record were then-undefeated Aidos Yerbossynuly of Kazakhstan, whom Morrell Jr. knocked out in the 12th round for his first loss, and Yamaguchi Falcao of Brazil.
Benavidez is a significant step up for Morrell Jr. Bravo to him for taking the fight and taking a chance on himself. He made his case and will be on a big stage on Saturday.
Morrell Jr. can raise his stock with a good performance, even in a loss. I predict he will either lose a narrow decision to Benavidez Jr. or retire in the later rounds after accumulating a lot of damage, with his corner or the ringside physician providing cover to preserve Morrell Jr.’s pride.
Morrell Jr. will show a lot of skill and heart, but not quite enough. Fans should not let this diminish Morrell Jr.’s future in their eyes. He still has much of his career ahead of him, and many fighters take lessons learned when stretching themselves in a challenging fight to improve.
No one thinks less of Canelo Alvarez losing to Floyd Mayweather early in his career. A loss on his record doesn’t dampen the enthusiasm for the upcoming rematch between Dmitriy Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. Losses to quality competition should not diminish a fighter’s legacy.
However the contest goes, on Saturday, we will learn a lot about David Benavidez and David Morrell Jr.
All Prime Video PPV undercard fighters made weight on Friday.
Undercard Features Three Fights
The four-fight pay-per-view card features WBC Featherweight World Champion Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa and former unified world champion Stephen Fulton Jr. in the co-main event. It is a rematch of one of 2021’s best fights. Figueroa is on the upswing, while Fulton Jr. still hasn’t fully recovered from his knockout loss to Naoya Inoue.
If you love a little Mexican-on-Mexican violence like we do, don’t miss Mexican star and former world champion Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz of Mexico City against determined contender Angel Fierro of Tijuana and San Diego in an all-Mexican super lightweight pay-per-view attraction. Cruz is the favorite, but don’t count out Fierro. He has a solid chance of being a mile upset if Cruz shows signs of decline after his loss in August to Jose Valenzuela.
Rising Mexican star Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. takes on former unified champion Jeison Rosario in a ten-round middleweight fight to open the pay-per-view at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
This card features 13 fights in total. Prime Video will stream a two-fight prelim at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT, free to all fans.
Undefeated Argentine Olympian Mirco Cuello fights Mexican contender Christian Olivo in a 10-round featherweight matchup.
The number one ranked WBA middleweight contender, Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez of Cuba, will open the live stream against Angel Ruiz of Mexico in a 10-round fight.
In addition to the PPV being available for purchase on Prime Video in the US, UK, and now Canada — regardless of Prime membership — fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets as well as PPV.com.
