A great battle took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where David Benavidez secured the 30th victory of his professional career, defeating the fearless David Morrell by decision in an intense fight with a thrilling ending. The official judges’ scorecards, all in favor of “Bandera Roja,” read: 118-108, 115-111, and 115-111. This victory could pave the way for Benavidez to earn a prestigious title shot against the winner of the upcoming rematch between unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and challenger Dmitrii Bivol.
The feeling-out process was short-lived. From the second half of the first round, both fighters engaged in a fast-paced battle, showcasing their best skills. Morrell impressed early with his technical brilliance, dodging punches with fluid movement and countering with sudden attacks, while Benavidez gave a first taste of his devastating and crowd-pleasing two-handed combinations.
In our pre-fight analysis, we highlighted how the fight’s pace would play a crucial role in determining the outcome, and this became evident in the second and third rounds. In the second, Benavidez overwhelmed Morrell with relentless pressure, landing heavy shots to both the head and body. But in the third, as Benavidez slowed down, Morrell took advantage, dictating the action and landing the more eye-catching punches.
Bandera Roja must have recognized the danger, because starting from the fourth round, he shifted into high gear, transforming into an unstoppable force that the talented Cuban struggled to contain. Morrell’s counters weren’t enough to slow down Benavidez’s onslaught, and his defense—based on reflexes and high-arm blocking—was repeatedly broken down by the variety and speed of his opponent’s blistering combinations.
During the middle rounds, Morrell seemed lost, as if unsure of what strategy to adopt. He stood in the center of the ring with a high guard, only to be repeatedly pierced by Benavidez’s brutal uppercuts. At that point, the fight appeared to be heading toward a dominant victory for Benavidez.
But then, little by little, Bandera Roja eased off the gas. Whether due to fatigue, a desire to conserve energy for the final rounds, or a belief that his opponent was no longer a threat, we can’t say for sure. What’s certain is that Benavidez gradually slowed his pace, giving Morrell more space and allowing him to work his way back into the fight.
Morrell regained his sharpness and confidence, capitalizing on the openings his opponent offered. He began landing notable shots again, even taking control in the tenth round, where he dictated the action for most of the three minutes.
As the fight entered the championship rounds, Benavidez’s lead still seemed secure, but the momentum had clearly shifted. When Bandera Roja tried to step on the gas in the eleventh round, for the first time, he was “pushed back with losses.” Soon after, a perfectly timed right hook from Morrell caught him off balance, sending him to the canvas and forcing the referee to administer a count.
The drama wasn’t over. In the final seconds of the round, Benavidez trapped Morrell in the corner and unleashed a barrage of punches in an attempt to regain control. But just as the bell sounded, Morrell landed another devastating right hook that briefly wobbled Benavidez. However, since the punch landed after the bell, referee Thomas Taylor deducted a point from the Cuban, drawing some protests from the crowd.
Just when it seemed he was headed for a grueling final round, David Benavidez rose from the ashes, emptying his gas tank in the last three minutes to seal his victory. Both fighters, their faces marked by battle, fought with passion until the final bell. But it was Bandera Roja who landed the higher volume of punches, securing the round and the win.
The ten-point margin on judge Tim Cheatman’s scorecard was overly generous; the four-point differences from Patricia Morse Jarman and Steve Weisfeld were more in line with the action in the ring. However, there was no doubt about the rightful winner—Benavidez deservedly claimed this world title eliminator.
This fight reaffirmed a pattern seen before in Benavidez’s career: when he operates at full throttle, he is nearly unstoppable. However, he struggles to control the slower, more tactical phases of a fight. Based on what we saw at the T-Mobile Arena, Bandera Roja still seems a level below the two Russians who currently reign at the top of the light heavyweight division.
As for David Morrell, despite the loss, he demonstrated not only his well-known technical skills but also some crucial attributes that were previously unproven—excellent durability and a warrior’s spirit. However, something was missing for him to truly challenge for victory. It’s fair to wonder if his chances would have been greater had he faced tougher tests in the professional ranks before stepping into this high-stakes bout.