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For Joseph Herron: The highly anticipated clash of boxing’s next crowned 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. main event pits two undefeated fighters, David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) and David Morrell Jr. (11-0, 9). KOs), against each other in a clash that has already sparked a heated 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. Although 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,” commented Gogue. “You could see his natural talent from the moment he made his professional debut five years ago. He is an explosive two-handed puncher, has exceptional hand and foot speed, quick reflexes and excellent hand-eye coordination .His ability to seamlessly switch between left-handed and left-handed positions makes him dangerous in any situation. long reach or close, they make it the total package.
Team 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 compelling arguments.
“Yes, Morrell only has 11 professional fights on his record, but he has a deep amateur pedigree,” explained Gogue. “He has faced almost every style imaginable in the amateurs. 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.”
Morrell’s Hall of Fame trainer Ronnie Shields echoed those sentiments during his own podcast, “Real Boxing with Ronnie Shields.”
“David Morrell Jr. is the most athletically talented fighter in boxing today,” Shields stated. “He’s ready to humiliate David Benavidez on February 1st. The real question fans should be asking is if fighters like Benavidez, Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev are ready for Morrell.”
While Morrell’s skills and potential are widely recognized, Gogue highlighted a critical unknown heading into this career-defining bout.
“There’s a lot to like about Morrell and his future, but we’ve never seen him in a tough fight,” Gogue observed. “We don’t know how he will deal with adversity or how strong his chin is. In boxing, there’s an old saying: never get too hung up on 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 “The Coronation of King David: Benavidez vs. Morrell.” This epic clash will not only determine the next dominant force in the lightweight division, but will also introduce boxing’s next superstar to the American market. Tune in to this PBC pay-per-view event on Prime Video on Saturday, February 1, starting at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT.
