Shawn Porter teams up with interim WBC lightweight champion David Benavidez to beat WBA “regular” champion David Morrell in their fight in 53 days on February 1st at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Like many, Porter believes the experience of former two-time WBC 168-lb champion Benavidez gives him the edge in his 12-round fight against Cuban Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs).
Title Effects
Benavidez vs. Morrell titles at PBC Prime Video PPV. The winner of the bout will be able to challenge for a world title against the winner of the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 rematch.
“55-45 for Benavidez. What I think Benavidez has over Morel is experience, it’s true power,” Sean Porter told Fight Hub TV about the February 1st David Benavidez vs. David Morel clash in Las Vegas.
“Both of those guys are big guys, but I think Benavidez is more of a natural 175-pounder. When you’ve had the experience of having resistance in a 12-round fight, it’s nothing new to you. Morel had not resisted.
“That fight with Hot Rod, it was a different kind of resistance. This was the resistance from someone who lived far from you and could not reach him. With Benavidez, he can hit with him. He’s just as fast,” Porter said.
Benavidez can hit Morrell if he chooses to stay still, but he probably won’t do that. Even in his last fight against Radivoje Kalajdzic, he was moving too much and not allowing him to land his powerful shots. Morrell had the strength and youth advantage in this fight, but he wasn’t using it the way he needed to in order to dominate.
“He can box, and that kind of resistance and the mental game with you. It’s a roller coaster ride. David Benavidez was on that trip. Morel doesn’t have it. I prefer Benavidez. Him, I could see eight rounds, nine rounds before something like that happens to Morrell,” Porter said when asked if Benavidez could put Morrell out early like he did in a sixth-round knockout of Demetrius Andrade last year on the 25 November.
Benavidez’s experience advantage over the 26-year-old is quite significant, which is understandable considering the Cuban fighter only has 11 fights under his belt as a pro.
The best fighters on Benavidez’s resume:
– Oleksandr Gvozdyk
– Plant Caleb
– Demetrius Andrade
– Ronald Gavril
– Anthony Dirrell
– Dennis Daglin
By comparison, Morrell only has these three:
– Radivoje Kalajdzic
– Yamaguchi Falcao
– Aidos Yerbossynuly
“Morel is bigger than anyone else. He is taller than anyone else. He is as fast as anyone. He’s probably stronger than anybody,” Porter said.
Can Morrell pull off an upset?
Morrell will have to throw more in this fight than he’s used to to have a shot at beating Benavidez because he’s going to wear him out if he doesn’t. It won’t impress the judges if Morrell is outscored 8-1 by Benavidez.
Having more power won’t help Morrell if Benavidez beats him with bulk like his last opponent Oleksandr Gvozdyk did on June 15th. Gvozdyk had the better power and landed the bigger punches, but Benavidez got the better of him. That was the difference.
