In front of a loud, cheering crowd, David Benavidez delivered a thrilling performance in his showdown against David Morrell. The highly anticipated title eliminator, which determined the next challenger for the winner of the February 22nd Beterbiev-Bivol rematch, ended with Benavidez securing a unanimous decision victory.
The judges’ scorecards read 115-111, 115-111, and 118-109, all in favor of Benavidez. With this win, the Phoenix-born fighter now moves forward to a bout that could define his legacy—one that previously slipped from his grasp in the super middleweight division. Meeting fan expectations, the fight featured both Benavidez and Morrell battling in pockets, exchanging wild punches. Unsurprisingly, Benavidez lived up to his reputation by maintaining a high punch volume. However, the match took a dramatic turn in the eleventh round when Morrell scored a surprising knockdown, a moment that divided fans and sparked heated reactions on social media.
@DanTheBoxingman’s tweet was explicit. Sharing the footage of the sequence, the message read, “DAVID MORRELL HITS BENAVIDEZ AFTER THE BELL & GETS A POINT TAKEN AWAY
.”
DAVID MORRELL
HITS BENAVIDEZ AFTER THE BELL & GETS A POINT TAKEN AWAY
#Boxing #BenavidezMorrell
— Danny (@dantheboxingman) February 2, 2025
The incident unfolded after Morrell landed a right hook knockdown on Benavidez. Though Benavidez recovered quickly and resumed fighting, the tension escalated in the final ten seconds of the round. As Benavidez trapped Morrell against the ropes, he unleashed a relentless flurry of punches. The bell to end the round was clearly audible, yet Morrell threw a right hand just as it sounded, leading to a controversial point deduction.
While fans were quick to criticize Morrell, some questioned whether Benavidez also contributed to the late exchange. Did the referee handle it fairly? Was the point deduction justified? The debate raged on. But one thing is clear – this fight delivered the fireworks fans had been hoping for.
Let’s check what some of the fans had to say about the eleventh round drama.
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