[ad_1]
Shawn Porter is squaring off with WBC interim light heavyweight champion David Benavidez to beat WBA “regular” champion David Morrell in their fight in 53 days on Feb. 1 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Advertisements
Like many, Porter believes former two-time WBC 168-pound champion Benavidez’s experience gives him an edge in his 12-round fight against Cuban Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs).
Implications of the title
Benavidez vs. Morrell headlines on PBC on Prime Video PPV. The winner of the fight will be able to fight for a world title against the winner of the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2.
“55-45 for Benavidez. What I think Benavidez has over Morrell is experience, real strength,” Shawn Porter told Fight Hub TV regarding the fight between David Benavidez and David Morrell on Feb. 1 in Las Vegas.
“Both of those guys are big, but I think Benavidez is more of a natural 175-pounder. When you’ve had the experience of having stamina in a 12 round fight, it’s nothing new to you. Morrell had met no resistance.
“That fight with Hot Rod, it was a different kind of drag. That was the resistance of someone standing far away from you and he couldn’t reach them. With Benavidez he can do it. It’s just as fast,” Porter said.
Benavidez can punch Morrell if he chooses to stay put, but he probably won’t. Even in his last fight against Radivoje Kalajdzic, he moved a lot and did not allow him to land his strong shots. Morrell had the power and youthful advantage in that fight, but he didn’t use it the way he needed to dominate.
“He can box, and that kind of toughness and mental game with you. It becomes a roller coaster ride. David Benavidez has been on that trip. Morrell doesn’t. I favor Benavidez. This, I could see eight rounds, nine rounds before something like that could happen to Morrell,” Porter said when asked if Benavidez could knock Morrell out early like he did in his sixth-round knockout of Demetrius Andrade last year on November 25th.
Advertisements
Benavidez’s experience advantage over the 26-year-old is quite significant, which is understandable given that the Cuban fighter only has 11 fights under his belt as a professional.
The best fighters on Benavidez’s resume:
– Oleksandr Gvozdyk
– Plant Caleb
– Demetrio Andrade
– Ronald Gavril
– Anthony Dirrell
–Denis Douglas
By comparison, Morrell only has these three:
– Radivoje Kalajdzic
– Yamaguchi Falcao
– Aidos Yerbossynuly
“Morrell is bigger than anyone. He is taller than anyone else. He’s as fast as anyone. He’s probably stronger than anyone else,” Porter said.
Can Morrell be upset?
Morrell will have to put more effort into this fight than he is used to to have a chance of defeating Benavidez because if he doesn’t he will be outmatched by him. It won’t impress the judges if Morrell is defeated 8-1 by Benavidez.
Having more power won’t help Morrell if Benavidez beats him with volume, as he did with his last opponent, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, on June 15. Gvozdyk had the better power and threw the bigger punches, but Benavidez outworked him. That was the difference.
[ad_2]
Source link
Advertisements