David Benavidez beat David Morrell by unanimous decision at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on February 1, 2025, with scores of 115-111, 115-111 and 118-108. He kept his WBC interim light heavyweight title and took Morrell’s WBA “regular” belt, and he closed as the favorite, between -320 and -250 according to Pro Boxing Odds.
Morrell closed between +190 and +250. Pro Boxing Odds lists no rematch, so this page is the record of the fight and of where both men have gone since.
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How Benavidez won
ESPN’s report put it down to body punching, volume and accuracy. Morrell chose to stand in front of Benavidez instead of moving, and from the middle rounds Benavidez pinned him on the ropes and worked the body and the lead uppercut.
Morrell had one big moment. A right hand dropped Benavidez in the 11th round, but Morrell was also docked a point for punching after the bell, and by then the lead was too big. “This is Monster’s world,” Benavidez said afterwards.
| David Benavidez | David Morrell | |
|---|---|---|
| Record after the fight | 30-0, 24 KOs | 11-1 |
| Opening price | -154 | +126 |
| Closing range | -320 to -250 | +190 to +250 |
The market moved hard toward Benavidez. He opened at -154, an implied 60.6%, and the shortest close of -320 implies 76.2%.
Where they are now
Benavidez moved up again. On May 2, 2026, he stopped Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in the sixth round at T-Mobile Arena to take the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles and become a three-division champion, at 32-0 with 26 knockouts. On September 12, 2026, he stepped into the ring after Jai Opetaia’s win over Noel Mikaelian and suggested a unification fight in May.
Morrell has lost again. Taking the fight on late notice after Callum Smith withdrew injured, he was knocked out by Zak Chelli in the 10th round in Manchester on May 9, 2026, at odds Pro Boxing Odds had closing between -2000 and -1587. That left him at 12-2 with 9 knockouts.
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