As Morrell (12-1, 9 KO) officially arrives in the UK to face Zak Chelli next Saturday, the Cuban featherlight heavyweight contender has one single goal: a second fight against the man who handed him the only defeat of his career, but not before Morrell left an indelible mark on his opponent.

“I want the rematch 100%,” Morrell said Fighting Hub TVdismissing loss of decision as the final result.

Concealed beating

While the scorecards favored Benavidez in the 2025 Las Vegas clash, the images from that night tell a different story, one of hidden brutality. Observers noticed a surprising strategy: Morrell often attacked for long periods of time, appearing passive. But when he decided to fight, the impact was devastating.

Morrell knocked out Benavidez twice and scored spotless knockdowns, something that often happens in regular recaps.

Photos from the post-fight press conference showed Benavidez with severe facial swelling and cuts, looking what some observers described as Frankenstein’s monster, while Morrell remained relatively unmarked. It was a strange lively. A tactical winner bearing the physical scars of the loser’s precision power.

For Morrell, this weekend’s match against Chelli (16-3, 8 KO) at Coop Live is a necessary strategic turnaround. This isn’t just a fight to ‘deal’ with Callum Smith’s dismissal; it is an expression of permanence and intention to remain at an elite level on a major international stage.

“Every fight is hazardous. When you step into the ring, you put your life at risk,” Morrell said about the fight with Chelli.

Why Manchester matters

Facing Zak Chelli comes with a different pressure. Chelli, a tough former British champion, loves to disrupt the technical flow. Morrell must demonstrate that he has adapted to the psychological and environmental challenges of fighting overseas.

A dominant, spotless victory on Saturday keeps the physical toll of their first meeting fresh in the boxing world’s memory. By combining dynamic performances with visual proof of his strength, David Morrell is making sure the boxing world knows that Benavidez cannot avoid a sequel. For Morrell, the road to redemption and unquestioned recognition begins in the Co-op Live arena.

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are finally set to meet, assuming each emerges unscathed from their low-risk warm-up fights.

Now Francis Ngannou, who faced both fighters, has updated his predictions ahead of the biggest fight in British boxing history.

Ngannou made his boxing debut against then-reigning WBC heavyweight ruler Fury in October 2023, and the former UFC heavyweight champion impressed by defeating “The Gypsy King” in the third round before losing a controversial split decision.

This performance gave the Cameroonian a chance to fight Joshua, but “AJ” was less understanding and showed the difference between a multi-disciplined fighter and a stalwart boxer, brutally eliminating “The Predator” in two rounds.

Although despite the nature of those losses, when asked about a potential fight a few weeks ago, Ngannou wasn’t sure how Joshua-Fury would play out.

“I think it’s a great fight. How will it go? It’s a fighting game – no one knows what will happen.

“They are both elite fighters, but we all know how tricky Fury can be. He managed to defeat him.”

But now that the fight rumors have turned into a signed agreement, Ngannou has offered a more analytical prediction Sky Sports Boxingbelieving that Fury has a better chance the longer the fight goes on.

“I think it’s very close at this level, anyone can win. It depends on how the fight goes. I think if there’s a decision, I’ll choose Fury. If it’s like a knockout, I think Joshua has a chance at the beginning of the rounds [fight]but when it comes to the fight, it will be more in Fury’s favor.”

Joshua returns to the ring on July 25 against Albania’s Kristian Prengi, while Fury is also looking for his own “tune-up” ahead of the highly anticipated showdown.

The ending of the sixth round looked routine in real time. A closer look revealed a different story. As Ramirez took the final burst, Benavidez’s right arm made a move that seemed independent of his punches, catching Ramirez and contributing to the stoppage.

A moment to divide opinions on the topic Inside the Ring program.

Teofimo Lopez said: “They say he hit his elbow at the end. But even then, I don’t think it was intentional,” Teo said.

Max Kellerman took an opposing view, describing the movement as consistent with the habits of internal combat, with close-range fighters turning tiny shots into elbows.

Replay came into focus because the action couldn’t be read as a elementary continuation. The elbow seemed to follow its own path rather than the natural ending of the punch. This distinction is often the difference between a missed call and a foul.

Unlike the accidental elbow, which occurs when a punch goes over the target, this move appeared to be the primary offensive action. The arm did not extend to strike, but remained crooked, leading with its joint.

Benavidez dominated statistically, making the foul theoretically “unnecessary” to win. Ramirez landed a total of 89 punches compared to Benavidez’s 151 punches. At the time of the break, Benavidez was leading 50-44 on the scorecards. It was a tidy search.

Ramirez, who had never been stopped in 50 professional fights, went down immediately as the punch hit him in the eye. This led to arguments that the arrest was a direct result of an illegal punch rather than an accumulation of “machine gun” combinations that Benavidez landed during the fight.

Inside exchanges often involve forearms and shoulders as players jockey for position. Referees rarely stop the action unless the move is obvious. In this case, the speed of the finish line and the damage already done made it effortless to wave at this point.

Replay changed the way the ending is perceived. The finish that looked tidy at first glance now raises a question that wasn’t there in real life.