David Morrell says he should have been using his “leg work” and “head movement” more effectively after losing to David Benavidez in February last year at the T-Mobile arena. The former world champion with two Morrell divisions (11-1, 9 KO) made a mistake, waiting too long before he finally set off on an attack against Benavidez in their lightweight heavyweight competition.
When Cuban poured him slow, he dropped Benavidez on the 11th, illuminating him with huge arrows on 12 .. When the fight ended, “Mexican monster” He looked beaten Around the face and exhausted from difficult shots, with which Morrell hit him in the last two rounds. At the end of the fight, Benavidez’s facial features resembled a 100-year-old man.
Benavidez: costly lesson
When you look at what Morrell did to Benavidez in these two rounds and extrapolar it over what he could do, the fight would end quickly if he fought more aggressively.
The fight was an example that Morrell did not know his own strength and did not operate his natural power and advantage of teenage people against Benavidez to try to take it out in the first half.
Learning this fight, 27-year-old Morrell will return to the ring in an unspecified order, fighting for an undefeated pretender until 175-Funts Imam khataev (10-0 (9 KO) On July 12 at the Louis Armstrong stadium in Queens, Up-to-date York. Morrell-Khataev will fight Undercard of the Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz.
To avoid losing another fight for not using his Power game, Morrell must attack Khataeva, not to mess and wait too long, just like against Benavidez. Morrell also made the same mistake, fighting passively in his clash Radivoje Kalajdzic In August last year on the Turki card Alalshikh at the BMO stadium in Los Angeles.
When Morrell attacked Kalajdzic aggressively early with a combination, he wounded him and approached his detention. But then he returned to shooting individual shots, dancing unnecessarily, allowing Kalajdzice to achieve moments of success and pass a 12-round distance.
Beterbiev BluePrint for Morrella
In retrospect, Morrell should have been tracking Artur Beterbiev BluePrint Attacking Kalajdzic in the whole style, throwing combinations without a break, buried him with pressure and maintaining a quick pace. The same approach would also work for Morrell against Benavidez. Morrell must operate Beterbaview for all his fights, because this will work for him in 175 to defeat fighters such as Dmitry Bivol, Benavidez and Artur. Morrell never overcomes fighters such as Bivol and Benavidez, trying to box like in February last year against the “Mexican monster.” It’s a waste of time.
However, unlike the previous headliner Morrella against Benavidez, his fight with Khataev will be buried four times on Undercard rock bottom cards. It must be a arduous pill for Morrell, because if he fought with Benavidez, attacking him tooth and nails, Cuban style, probably knocked him out. Then he managed his card in a rematch with Benavidez or against one of the best rivals. Life would be different.
Undercard Blues
Edgar Blangga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz: Main event
Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda: Co-Fauna
Alberto Puello vs. Subriel Matias: for Puello’s WBC 140-LB Title
David Morrell vs. Imam khataev
Challenging pill to swallow
“Every time you fail, there is something that you look back and think you could change,” said David Morrell BoxingsceneThinking about his defeat against David Benavidez in February last year. “I feel that I could better operate my legs and maybe a larger head movement.
“I know it brings robust power. Imam khataev On July 12 in his Podardowa fight in Queens, Up-to-date York. “I hope to fight at least twice before the end of the year.”
Former world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk has been left between a rock and a hard place afterhis promotional contract with Zuffa Boxing has been terminated.
The Ukrainian dethroned long-reigning light-heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson in 2018, scoring an 11th-round stoppage that left his opponent with a brain injury.
Gvozdyk then made a WBC title defence before losing to Artur Beterbievwho extended his ruthless surge with a 10th-round finish in their 2019 encounter.
Since that defeat, ‘The Nail’ suffered a unanimous decision loss to David Benavidez in 2024, before entering a perceived 50/50 contest against Radivoje ‘Hot Rod’ Kalajdzic in February.
With both making their Zuffa debut, the two veterans delivered a thrilling battle in which Gvozdyk scored two knockdowns and had built a sizable lead.
In round seven, though, the 39-year-old found himself on the canvas and was ultimately stopped on his feet after getting dropped a second time.
Given his overall performance, one would suspect he had done enough to justify another meaningful opportunity, yet Gvozdyk has since told vRINGe that he will no longer be fighting under the Zuffa banner.
“They terminated the contract in February after a loss. That is, every promoter has the option that if a boxer loses, they have the right to terminate the contract. That’s exactly what they did. After the fight, everyone was saying how great it was. That everything was great. I rested. I started preparing as planned – somewhere around May. And then, around April, they told me I’d received an email terminating the contract.”
This is because his contract has been terminated, while Kalajdzic’s next outing with Dana White’s promotional outfit is confirmed for September 26 against Craig Richards.
As for Gvozdyk, it is difficult to predict what will come next but, at the age of 39, one would suspect that he is close to hanging up the gloves.
Still, he could hardly have been happy to part ways with Zuffa, which also terminated its contract with Robert Meriwether following his defeat to Tony Hirsch Jr in April.
Former British champion and Olympic bronze medallist David Price has assessed whether his countryman, Conor Bennpossesses the necessary hand speed to defeat Ryan Garcia.
The two welterweights will square off at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on September 12, with Garcia making a first defence of his WBC world title.
It was arguably a career-best performance that saw him dethrone Mario Barrios in February, scoring a first-round knockdown before winning a wide unanimous decision.
But despite coming off this dominant display, Garcia was far less impressive when he returned from a year-long doping ban and lost on points to Rolando Romero in May 2025.
Still, many would argue that the 28-year-old has shown signs of world-class quality, while Benn remains glaringly unproven at the top level.
The 29-year-old has also not fought at 147lbs since 2022, with his last two outings resulting in unanimous decision victories over faded versions of Chris Eubank Jr and Regis Prograis.
Against Eubank, in particular, Benn’s speed seemed a key factor in their two middleweight encounters last year, despite him suffering a points defeat the first time around.
As he approaches this welterweight contest against Garcia, though, former heavyweight contender Price has told The Smith Brothers that he sees Benn contending with an unfamiliar disadvantage.
“I think I [favour Garcia]. Conor Benn’s got great hand speed, but I think [Garcia’s] hand speed could make the difference in the fight.”
Like Garcia, Benn tested positive for a banned substance – clomifene – and was eventually removed from his cancelled 2022 encounter with Eubank.
David Benavidez has the full support of WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman as he looks to further establish himself in the cruiserweight division.
The 29-year-old made his 200lb debut in May, becoming a three-division world champion by dethroning Gilberto Ramirez with an emphatic sixth-round stoppage.
In doing so, Benavidez claimed the WBO and WBA titles while also retaining his WBC light-heavyweight strap, so as to afford himself the option of moving back down to 175lbs.
Since then, though, it would seem that the American has decided to remain at cruiserweight, having successfully lobbied the WBC to position him as its mandatory challenger.
WBC champion Noel Mikaelian, meanwhile, was already rumoured to be facing Jai Opetaia, who became Zuffa Boxing’s cruiserweight titlist by unanimously outpointing Brandon Glanton earlier this year.
But while their contest has now been announced for September 12featuring on the undercard of Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, Mikaelian could soon be forced to relinquish his world title.
This is because, according to BoxingSceneSulaiman has threatened to strip the 35-year-old of his belt unless he and promoter Don King agree to a fight with Benavidez.
From an outside perspective, it seems the Benavidez showdown is becoming increasingly unlikely, given that Mikaelian has reportedly signed to face Opetaia, a former IBF champion, and is attempting to distance himself from the notorious King.
Benavidez, however, is set to secure his three-belt unification match regardless, potentially with WBC ‘interim’ champion Michal Cieslak standing in the opposite corner.
The Polish veteran claimed his secondary title against Jean Pascal, who he stopped in four rounds, but has not fought since their cruiserweight contest in June 2025.
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