David Benavidez is banking on his pro experience in a 12-round fight against undefeated David Morrell on February 1 on PBC’s Prime Video PPV victory.

“Mexican Freak” Benavidez predicts he will soon become “the face of boxing” and he sees this fight as his “takeover.” He clearly did not lack confidence at the Battle of Morel.

Benavidez’s confidence

David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) says he can’t wait to add Morel’s WBA “regular” light heavyweight title to his collection. He currently holds the WBC interim 175-pound belt, a trinket title that would give him a title shot against champion Artur Beterbiev if he beats Morel.

Benavidez-Morrell headlines T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Many boxing fans believe this fight is 50-50, but Benavidez thinks otherwise. He thought it was a must-win for him, but that’s just the way he is.

If he were to fight Beterbiev, Jai Opetaia or even Daniel Dubois, he would probably win as well. He’s one of those guys who takes pride in fighting at 168 for many years and he hasn’t fought an A-level fighter in his career.

Morel was the closest thing to such a warrior. That’s what makes it interesting: Benavidez needs to prove if he’s as good as he thinks he is. I don’t think he is, because his brother Jose Benavidez Jr. is like that too. Every time he faced off against an A-level opponent, he would fail, but he always believed he would win. This will be Benavidez’s first time, and he might lose, too.

PBC PPV card fight

Brandon Figueroa vs. Stephen Fulton
Yoenli Hernandez VS Angel Ruiz Astorga
Isaac Cruz vs. Angel Fierro Barreda
Jesus Alejandro Ramos Jr. vs. Jesus Alejandro Ramos Jr. Jason Rosario
Mirco Cuelo vs. Mirco Cuelo Christian Olivo

experience and strength

“I don’t think amateurs have any (advantage). This is not an amateur fight,” David Benavidez said media When asked about the advantage of David Morel’s experience as an amateur star in Cuba.

“It’s a 12-round title fight. He might have a three-round advantage because of his amateur (experience), but other than that, three rounds doesn’t mean anything. I’ve fought against better fighters, better fighters. I’ve dealt with bigger venues and bigger matches. This is my third or fourth PPV.

“So, I have experience on my side. I don’t think he’s ever experienced anything like this and I’ll show why I’m on a different level. He knows he’s bitten off more than he can chew,” Benavid said Si said of Morel.

When a boxer has the success that Morel had in Cuba, amateur experience counts. He has a 130-2 record as an amateur, which could affect this fight if he can handle the pressure from Benavidez. Morell cannot move for 12 rounds.

He has to stand his ground and fight Benavidez to win because if he tries to move like he did when he debuted at 175 on August 3 against Radivoje Karadzic, he’s going to lose a decision. Benavidez will have the advantage in punch output, but Morel can take that advantage away by knocking him down. That’s what he has to do.

Benavidez has a thick skull and his shots don’t seem to matter. His forehead looked like a drive-in movie theater. Oleksandr Gvozdyk’s fist, which struck him with all his strength, had no effect and was more powerful than the one he struck. He took them away. However, Morel has more attacking power and he won’t tire himself out from exercise like Gvozdyk. During his fight with Benavidez last June, the 37-year-old looked tired and old.

“I know what I can do. Every high-level boxer will say the same thing, but once they get in the ring with me, they’ll say, ‘David Benavidez is on a different level.’ “I’m really motivated. I’m excited to get in there and get that WBA belt. I don’t have one of those. So I’m excited to have one of those in my collection,” Benavidez said.

The “Mexican Freak” has yet to fight a “high-level fighter” in his career. I also don’t know that Morel is a “high quality” fighter, but he fights at a higher level than the best Benavidez has ever fought.

Morell’s strength and technical superiority make him a threat, especially with Benavidez focused on loading up on everything he throws. His fighting style is reckless and he will eventually be knocked down in such a fight. Could Morel be the one to do it? We don’t know, but I wouldn’t be shocked.

So, it’s not clear who he’s talking about. His best wins came against 37-year-old Oleksandr Gvozdyk, 36-year-old Demetrius Andrade and Caleb Plant. These are not “high quality” fighters.

Years ago, the 154-year-old Andrade was a good boxer, but he was too old and undersized to take on the 168-year-old light heavyweight Benavidez. David looked huge as he hydrated Andrade and didn’t look like a super middleweight. There’s no way Demetrius could beat Benavidez with his size. If the situation were the same and Andrade was young and the fight took place in 2012 at 154, he would have had a chance, but at 168 he wouldn’t have had a chance against Bay, a much younger light heavyweight. Navidez.

Gvozdyk has been retired for four years after being eliminated by Artur Beterbiev in 2019. He beat out a few more tomato cans before being picked up by Benanvidez’s management. This is not the peak version of Alexander losing to Beterbiev and knocking out Adonis Stevenson.

Punch in the face?

“This is my takeover. Seeing the fighters in Vegas, I feel like I can take over this. I’m really having fun and fighting great. I want this for myself. I want to show people I’m the best .When I got in, everyone saw the level that I was at and I was happy to be able to fulfill my dream and be the face of boxing.”

Without defeating Morel or the winner of the 2 rematches between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, it will be difficult for Benavidez to become the “face of boxing.” Benavidez throws everything in with every punch, and if he can do that, he’ll be in trouble against Morel or Beterbiev.

The way Benavidez fought Alexander Gvozdyk last June will leave him seriously injured. Fortunately for him, Gvozdyk was mostly throwing punches rather than using maximum power. When he started to step up his shooting in the second half, his headshots lit up Benavidez.

In the last 30 seconds of the 12th, he hit Benavidez’s body with his right hand. Morell was faster, younger and stronger than Gvozdyk. He’s going to do damage to Benavidez. I don’t think “The Mexican Freak” can change because that’s how he’s always fought and he doesn’t have the ability to try boxing. When he’s on the perimeter, he’s going to be full of crazy hooks, which will be a problem for Morel. He would counter him and we could see Morel knock out his opponent with one punch.