Per Joseph Herron: The highly anticipated bout to crown boxing's next superstar, titled “The Coronation of King David: Benavidez vs. Morrell,” is set to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 1, 2025. The main event pits two undefeated fighters, David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KO) and David Morrell Jr. (11-0, 9 KOs), against each other in a clash that has already sparked a fiery war of words between the camps.
Adding to the growing anticipation, renowned boxing trainer James Gogue, who has five decades of experience in the sport, recently weighed in on the WAW BOXING podcast. While Benavidez is currently a slight betting favorite (-180) at most sportsbooks, Gogue believes the Phoenix native is in for a big challenge.
“David Morrell Jr. is an incredibly gifted fighter,” Gogue 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 he's fighting from mid-range, long-range or up close – make him the complete package.”
Tim Benavidez has been critical of Morrell's relatively short professional career, arguing that his lack of experience could be a disadvantage. However, Gogue 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 of amateur imaginable. 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 pro fights to go up against 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 fighter in boxing today,” Shields said. “He's ready to humiliate David Benavidez on February 1. The real question fans should be asking is whether fighters like Benavidez, Dmitry Bivolo and Artur Beterbiev are ready for Morrell.”
While Morrell's skills and potential are widely acknowledged, Gogue highlighted a critical unknown heading into this career-defining fight.
“There's so much to like about Morrell and his future, but we've never seen him in a tough fight,” Gogue noted. “We don't know how he will handle adversity or how strong his chin is. There's an old saying in boxing: never stress a prospect until you see how well they can take a punch. We'll probably 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 “King David's Coronation: Benavidez vs. Morrell.” This epic bout 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 Saturday, February 1st for this PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video, beginning at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 AM PT.