Did Morell face tougher competition than Benavidez?

Coach Jose Benavidez Sr. is pleased that David Morell got into an altercation with his son David Benavidez today during their media training in Miami. Morel (11-0, 9 KOs) didn’t want to shake Benavidez’s hand during the bout, which angered him enough to push the Cuban.

(Credit: Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions)

Jose Jr. is more upset than Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) over the confrontation incident, and he vows that he will knock out WBA “regular” lightweight champion Morell in their fight on February 1 on PBC on Prime Video PPV at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Morell could be too good for Benavidez and could knock him out if he can land as much as his last opponent, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, did in their fight on June 15. Gvozdyk landed 223 punches on Benavidez. He wouldn’t be upright if he allowed Morel to fire that many shots. Morell is probably the biggest boxer in the 175-pound division, and he destroys fighters who stand in front of him trying to strike.

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

Coach talk

“This is what you expect when you get young, strong, hungry fighters. This is what we expect,” Jose Benavidez Sr. said. Combat Center TVin response to the altercation between David Benavidez and David Morell during today’s media training in Miami.

“I like what David Morrell is saying. He says he’s fighting RoboCop. Keep thinking about that because you’re going to see a hurricane on fight day. You’re going to get fucked. That’s what’s going to happen. He’s saying David (Benavidez) hasn’t fought anyone. Who f*** Did you fight?

“There are 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 angry because he was nervous. This is what happens. And he doesn’t know what to do at this point.”

“He’s never been at that level. I hope he’s focused because on fight day, David (Benavidez) will have all the people behind him, and he’ll feel it. So, I hope (Morrell) takes it right. He’s never been involved in this kind of “Fighting.”

Cuban connection

Benavidez Jr. is right that Morell has never fought at this professional level. However, in the amateurs, he fought twice as a Cuban Olympic gold medalist Medalist Julio Cesar La Cruzand he’s better than anyone Benavidez has fought during his professional career – even better than Benavidez. Morell has more than enough experience to defeat Benavidez. Morell also fought the outstanding Cuban Olsley Iglesias During his amateur period, he is also a better fighter than anyone Benavidez has fought in the pros.

“David is on another level. David is in a different breed. David is going to knock him out. ‘I guarantee you a knockout,'” Jose Sr. said, promising that his son, Benavidez, would knockout Morell.

Jose Sr. puts a lot of pressure on Benavidez, ensuring a knockout against Morell. He’s a better fighter than any he’s faced so far, and he’s also a bigger puncher.

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 has never been a knockout artist during his career. His goal is to land a ton of shots to get the knockout, but he can’t do that against Morell without getting beat up.

Benavidez vs. Gvozdyk’s statistics punch

– Oleksandr Gvozdyk: 223 out of 675, 33%.
– David Benavidez: 270 out of 749, 36%.