David Benavidez chose to continue building his own legacy.
The Ring confirmed that a drastic change in direction has come regarding Benavidez’s next fight. The undefeated former two-time WBC super middleweight titleholder will next face David Morrell. Their highly anticipated match is set to headline a PBC on Prime Pay-Per-View event in the first quarter of 2025.
Further details have not yet been determined as they go to publication. Multiple sources have informed The Ring that the time frame is anywhere from late January or to late February.
The development is in stark contrast to representatives of Benavidez’s team claiming “fake” news of a mouth-watering clash with Morrell. Benavidez (29-0, 24 knockouts) even turned down the fight on one claim. The 27-year-old Phoenix native—now based in the greater Seattle area—previously claimed that he faced Jesse Hart on December 14th.
Those rumors were immediately dismissed by Hart, who had no knowledge of the match. PBC officials eventually ruled out Benavidez fighting on that date, which headlined the Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach WBA lightweight title fight.
Instead, Benavidez will get his own show, with a fight to justify his own headliner. The Ring learned that part was the “fake news” part of his team’s claims. The latest round of gossip brought the fight leading up to a long-rumored Sebastian Fundora-Errol Spence junior middleweight title fight.
This game has yet to come to the schedule. Either way, Benavidez-Morrell was never tapped for its undercard, even if Fundora-Spence becomes a reality. The fight is big enough to command its own banner, which is exactly why Benavidez ran head first in that direction.
“There were a lot of names on the table, but I wanted to give my fans the best fight possible,” Benavidez said on social media on Tuesday. “I reached out to David Morrell and his team to make it happen, and we completed the contract.
“This fight is really going to be a blast! (Two) of the best in the division and (two) titles on the line.”
The titles Benavidez refers to are of the secondary variety. Benavidez holds the interim WBC light heavyweight title. Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) – a Cuban performer who trains in Houston – holds the interim WBA light heavyweight belt.
Both boxers have previously campaigned at super middleweight and have been regularly linked with a head-to-head clash. It was a natural talking point, as both previously targeted RING/undisputed super middleweight king Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs). However, the feeling was less than mutual in return.
Benavidez and Morrell separately decided to campaign against light heavyweights instead.
The pair of undefeated elite talent fighters appeared within seven weeks of each other.
Benavidez knocked out former WBC light heavyweight titleholder Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June 15 in Las Vegas. The fight came in a supporting capacity until Davis’ eighth-round knockout of undefeated Frank Martin.
Morrell went twelve rounds in a points victory over Radivoje Kalajdzic (29-2, 21 KOs) on August 3rd in Los Angeles. Their fight was part of the Riyadh season’s debut US launch, with Terence Crawford’s fourth division title win over Israil Madrimov.
Rumors kept coming up of a direct clash, although they seemed to be on separate paths. The Ring has learned that previous plans called for Morrell to headline a PBC on Prime show—of PPV—in November or December. Those plans were scrapped as the PBC series was rescheduled and more relevant matches emerged.
There is little on the schedule as attractive as this fight, without one or more primary titles on the line.
Benavidez was already guaranteed to tip the winner of this weekend’s Artur Beterbiev-Dmitrii Bivol RING/Undisputed Light Heavyweight Championship. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed Benavidez as the next mandatory challenger in waiting.
Morrell’s version of the WBA title would theoretically put him in line as well. However, this will require the sanctioning body to take appropriate action.
It’s a moot point for now, as they turn to each other for their next payday, both firmly convinced that the reward justifies the massive risk.
