Would Joseph Herron: The much-anticipated showdown to crown boxing’s next star, titled “The Coronation of King David: Benavidez vs. Morel,” is set to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 1, 2025. The main event features two undefeated fighters, David Benavides (29-0, 24 KOs) and David Morrell Jr. (11-0, 9 KOs), against each other in a bout that has already sparked a fiery war of words between the camps.
With anticipation growing, renowned boxing trainer James Gough, who has five decades of experience in the sport, recently weighed in on the WAV BOXING podcast. While Benavidez is currently a slight betting favorite (-180) at most sportsbooks, Gogue believes the Phoenix native faces a formidable challenge.
“David Morrell Jr. is an incredibly gifted fighter,” Gough noted. “You could see his natural talent from the moment he made his debut five years ago.” He is an explosive hitter with both hands, has exceptional hand and foot speed, quick reflexes and excellent hand-eye coordination. His ability to seamlessly switch between orthodox and southern stance makes him dangerous in any situation. On top of that, his timing, understanding of range and distance, and versatility – whether fighting from mid-range, long-range or up close – make him the total package.”
Tim Benavidez has criticized Morell’s relatively short professional career, arguing that his lack of experience could be a disadvantage. However, Gog counters this skepticism with several convincing arguments.
“Yes, Morrell only has 11 professional fights on his record, but he has a deep amateur pedigree,” Gogue explained. “He faced almost every style imaginable in an amateur.” Add that to his natural athleticism and the guidance of Ronnie Shields, one of the most experienced trainers in boxing, and he doesn’t need 40 professional fights to face the best in the division.
Ronnie Shields, Morrell’s Hall of Fame trainer, echoed these sentiments during his own podcast, “Real Boxing with Ronnie Shields.”
“David Morrell Jr. is the most athletically gifted boxer today,” Shields said. “He’s ready to humiliate David Benavidez on February 1st. The real question fans should be asking is whether fighters like Benavidez, Dmitri Bivol and Artur Beterbiev are ready for Morel.”
While Morel’s skills and potential are widely recognised, Gough highlighted a critical unknown going into this career-defining match.
“There’s so much to like about Morel and his future, but we’ve never seen him in a tough fight,” Gough noted. “We don’t know how he will handle adversity or how strong his chin is.” There’s an old saying in boxing: never overextend a prospect until you’ve seen how well they can take a punch. We’ll likely get that answer on February 1 when he faces someone like Benavides, who has knocked out 24 opponents in just 29 fights.
The stakes couldn’t be higher as the boxing world awaits the outcome of “King David’s Coronation: Benavidez vs. Morel.” This epic clash will not only determine the next dominant force in the light heavyweight division, but will also introduce the next boxing superstar to the American market. Tune in on Saturday, February 1st for this PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video, beginning at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT.