Three-time former cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis predicts David Morrell’s childhood Cuban boxing training will lead to his victory over David Benavidez on February 1.
Benavidez he won’t be able to bully Morrell like he did when he was fighting smaller, weaker and older fighters when he was competing at 168. Morrell is the same size, younger, stronger and won’t be bullied the way Benavidez was beating super middleweight fighters.
The ‘Mexican Monster’ Benavidez was viewed by fans as a bully at the weights all those years, and he didn’t look like the same fighter when he moved up to 175 in his last fight against Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June 15th.
Can Morrell shock the world?
Briedis says “everyone” believes WBC interim welterweight champion Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) will knock out Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs), but feels his Cuban background will be too much for ‘The Mexican Monster’ in their headliner at T-Mobile Arena.
Mairis says Morrell can tackle on the outside, throw with power and tackle on the inside. He has seen all styles of fighting during his years in Cuba with the national team. So what Benavidez brings to the table in this fight won’t be new for him.
Morrell arguably fought better fighters than Benavidez in Cuba, against the two-time Olympic gold medalist Julio Cesar La Cruz. That fighter would be a nightmare for Benavidez due to his size, strength and technical skills.
Politics in the ring?
One question for the Benavidez-Morrell fight is the officiating. As Briedis points out, Benavidez is from the United States, while Morrell is from Cuba. He mentions politics. If the fight goes down, will the more popular fighter, Benavidez, the one with the big fan base in the US, get the decision, even if he appears to have lost?
In Benavidez’s last fight in Las Vegas against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Gvozdyk last June, he won a wide 12-round unanimous decision in a razor-thin contest. Gvozdyk looked like he won five to six rounds in that fight, but the Nevada judges awarded it to Benavidez with these uneven scores: 116-112, 117-111 and 119-109.
I watched the fight and it was 114-114. Benavidez appeared to lose one of the first six rounds and then the last five as Gvozdyk landed powerful punches against the tiring ‘Mexican Monster’. So if the Benavidez-Morrell fight goes on the scoresheet, will Morrell get similar treatment? Does he need a knockout to win against the popular Benavidez with his huge fan base in Nevada and the crowd on his side at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas?
Cuban education
“Everyone thinks Benavidez will win by TKO, but I think Morrell comes from Cuba, and Cuba are very strong boxers. It is the national sport for boxing,” said Mairis Briedis on his YouTube channel, analyzing the David Benavidez vs. David Morrell fight on February 1st.
“Morrell is a very smart guy, a young guy, and he can fight at long range or as a hitter. These are two punchers facing each other in the ring. My prediction, I think Morrell. They show something new for Benavidez. Speed, powerful punches and some interesting Cuban techniques.
My prediction is Morrell wins by unanimous decision. Benavidez has fought stronger opponents than Morrell. I mean, Morrell didn’t fight very strong guys. I hope Morrell wins by unanimous decision.
There is little politics in the US. Why because he [Benavidez] he comes from USA and his fans come from USA. Morrell is Cuban, and what they’ve been doing since childhood is boxing.”
Morrell has been fighting in Cuba since he was a kid against better fighters than Benavidez. He also had a more difficult life than Benavidez. His upbringing, along with his superior speed, strength, athletic ability, and technical skills, gives him a huge advantage in this fight.
“Winner [of Benavidez vs. Morrell] he will fight against Beterbiev or Bivol. Benavidez-Morrell will be a very difficult fight, and the next step is the most difficult fight against Beterbiev or Bivolo,” said Briedis.
