David Benavidez will face David Morrell this Saturday, on 2nd February 2025 at the T-Mobile Arena for the light heavyweight supremacy. The fight’s winner will become the challenger for the victor of the 22nd February rematch between Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivo. The co-main event features other fights too. This Benavidez vs. Morrell fight preview will give you a sneak peek into the fight breakdown of Benavidez and Morrell and other key matches on the undercard.
Fight Breakdown of Benavidez and Morrell
There is a great match on the line with the Benavidez vs Morrell fight on Saturday. The WBC Interim World Light Heavyweight Champion, David Benavidez with his 24 knockouts will fight David Morrell Jr. with 9 knockouts on 2nd February 2025.
The 28-year-old Benavidez stacked excellent wins over Caleb Plant, Anthony Dirrell, and Demetrius Andrade at Super Middleweight. Meanwhile, 27-year-old David Morrell will be facing one of the toughest tests of his career as he has remained relatively untested so far with only 11 professional fights.
Like most of the fights with Benavidez, the challenger gets off to a heated start during the opening round. The popular Cuban fighter has better punch and footwork selection, which helps him get ahead on the scorecards. He has gained years of experience which will benefit him in the upcoming match if he maintains his routine approach of using constant pressure. Betting enthusiasts often call him the “Mexican Monster”, considering he’s one of the most dangerous fighters in MMA.
For Morrell, the fight against Benavidez will be his biggest fight after his light heavyweight debut against Radivoje Kalajdzic. Morrell won the game by a unanimous decision, however, outlanding Kalajdzic by 32 punches in 36 minutes. Compared to Benavidez, Kalajdzic is still considered an economical puncher for Morrell.
Co-Main Event & Undercard Preview
Other key matchups on the undercard include a rematch between WBC Interim Featherweight Champion, the fresher and younger fighter Brandon Figueroa seeking his revenge against Stephen Fulton.
Figueroa can potentially dictate the fighting action inside the ring, holding an advantage heading into the championship clash. Fighting punters are two minds about whether Fulton’s chin is strong enough for the next match.
There is worry regarding his match after the devastating knockout loss against Naoya Inoue in 2023. Concerns also exist about his latest knockdown against Carlos Castro in 2024. Amidst all this, Figueroa seems to be at a more suitable weight, expected to cut off the ring from Fulton. Other fights on the Benavidez vs Morrell card include-
- Jesus Ramos (21-1-0) vs. Jeison Rosario (23-4-2)
- Isaac Cruz (26-3-1) vs. Angel Fierro (22-2-2)
- Mirco Cuello (14-0-0) vs. Christian Olivo (22-1-1)
To know more about future title fights, betting odds, and predictions, visit the Best Boxing betting sites available online.
Benavidez and Morrell Predictions & Betting Analysis
Boxing pundits have unanimously projected their participation for the Benavidez vs Morrell matchup with many witnessing paths to victory for each of the fighters.
Many sports betting sites agree that the fight will have a 50-50 nature while others have listed the betting odds as -194 for Benavidez and +155 for Morrell.
Benavidez is a betting favorite for a reason since he represents a dangerous threat to the unbeaten record through 12 pro bouts. Somehow, the fighter remains defensively responsible for a player who spends time pressuring and crowding his opponents.
Morrell, on the other hand, has an eclectic blend of skills that can make him bank a handful of the initial rounds while the real test might come in the second half against Benavidez, once he figures out the pattern.
Overall, Benavidez performed better and has participated in many competitions professionally, making him more experienced to win the upcoming match. He can target the 27-year-old Morrell, who can use his mobility to reduce Benavidez’s attack. Considering he can withstand Morrell’s strength and prowess, the should be a difficult fight for him to win.
