Benavidez vs. Morrell: “We will find out the character of both men on February 1st,” insists the coach

From Joseph Herron: The highly anticipated clash between boxing’s next superstar, titled “The Coronation of King David: Benavidez vs. Morrell”, will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 1, 2025. The main event puts two undefeated fighters, David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) and David Morrell Jr. (11-0, 9 KOs), against each other in a fight that has already sparked a fierce war of words between the sides.

Adding to the growing anticipation, renowned boxing trainer James Gogue, who has fifty years of experience in the sport, recently weighed in on the stakes on the WAW BOXING podcast. While Benavidez is currently the slight betting favorite (-180) at most sportsbooks, Gogue believes the Phoenix native faces a formidable challenge.

“David Morrell Jr. is an incredibly gifted fighter,” Gogue noted. “You could see his natural talent from the moment he made his professional debut five years ago. He is an explosive boxer with both hands, has exceptional hand and foot speed, quick reflexes and excellent hand-eye coordination. His ability to seamlessly transition from orthodox to lefty makes him dangerous in any situation. Beyond that, his timing, understanding of range and distance, and versatility, whether fighting from mid-range, long range, or melee, make him a complete package.

Team Benavidez has been critical of Morrell’s relatively short professional career, claiming that his lack of experience could be a disadvantage. However, Gogue counters this skepticism with several compelling arguments.

“Yes, Morrell only has 11 pro fights on his record, but he has a deep amateur pedigree,” Gogue explained. “He’s tackled just about every style imaginable among the amateurs. Add that to his natural athleticism and the guidance of Ronnie Shields, one of the most experienced trainers in boxing, and he won’t need 40 professional fights to challenge the best in the division.

Ronnie Shields, Morrell’s Hall of Fame-bound trainer, echoed those sentiments during his podcast, “Real Boxing with Ronnie Shields.”

“David Morrell Jr. is the most athletically gifted fighter in boxing today,” Shields said. “He is ready to humiliate David Benavidez on February 1. The real question fans should be asking is whether fighters like Benavidez, Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev are ready for Morrell.”

While Morrell’s skills and potential are widely recognized, Gogue highlighted a key unknown in this career-defining bout.

“There’s a lot to like about Morrell and his future, but we’ve never seen him put in a tough fight,” Gogue noted. “We don’t know how he’ll handle adversity or how strong his chin is. There’s an old saying in boxing: Never push a prospect hard until you see how much he can take a punch. We’ll likely get that answer on February 1, when he faces someone like Benavidez, who has knocked out 24 opponents in just 29 fights.

The stakes couldn’t be higher as the boxing world awaits the outcome of “The Coronation of King David: Benavidez vs. Morrell.” This epic clash will not only determine the next dominant force in the light heavyweight division, but will also introduce boxing’s next superstar to the American market. Tune in on Saturday, February 1 for this PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video, starting at 8pm ET/5pm PT.