Photo: IMAGO
David Benavidez did what he does best at the T-Mobile Arena, grinding out a twelve-round war against a genuine threat and coming out the other side unbeaten. “The Monster” outpointed fellow puncher David Morrell in a light heavyweight slugfest that lived up to the pre-fight billing, picking up the WBC interim title in the process.
A Fight That Refused to Slow Down
Benavidez pressed from the opening bell, using his size and volume to back Morrell up round after round, and the Cuban southpaw answered nearly every exchange rather than back down. It made for exactly the kind of firefight both fighters’ styles promised, with neither man willing to concede ground even as the pace stayed relentless into the second half of the fight.
Morrell’s Eleventh-Round Statement
Just as Benavidez looked to be pulling clear, Morrell landed a knockdown in round eleven, the clearest sign all night that he belonged in the ring with a fighter many regard as boxing’s most avoided man. The moment was undercut by a point deduction in the same round for a late punch, but it didn’t change the overall picture: Morrell had more than earned his place among the division’s elite, even in defeat.
Scorecards Reflect a Wide Points Gap
The judges saw it clearly for Benavidez, with scores of 118-108, 115-111 and 115-111. Benavidez moves to 30-0, while Morrell suffers the first loss of his career, dropping to 11-1. The margin on the cards was wider than the fight itself often looked, a reminder that visible drama in the ring doesn’t always translate into a close verdict.
Positioning for the Winner of Beterbiev-Bivol
The win puts Benavidez in pole position as mandatory challenger for the WBC light heavyweight title, with his sights set on whoever emerges from the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol rivalry. Benavidez has spent years calling out the sport’s biggest names without getting the fight he wants most; beating Morrell this convincingly makes it far harder for the division’s gatekeepers to keep looking past him. For Morrell, there’s no shame in the loss, just a clear signal that his best fights are still ahead of him.
