Former two-division world champion Antonio Tarver believes David Morrell might have a knockout for him to defeat WBC interim mild heavyweight champion David Benavidez in eight days on February 1st on the T-Cell Area in Las Vegas.
If Benavidez bum-rushes Morrell like he does all his opponents, he might get knocked out by the Cuban expertise within the first spherical.
Morrell has much more energy and technical skill for Benavidez to battle within the primitive model that he’d grown accustomed to from his weight bully days of overpowering fossils at 168. Benavidez’s profession has been constructed on weak matchmaking and him combating properly beneath his big cruiserweight measurement.
Tarver feels that Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) has an excessive amount of measurement {and professional} expertise for the previous Cuban novice star Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) to beat with out knocking him out. Benavidez’s output will make it tough for Morrell to win a choice if he’s getting outlanded by a large margin on this battle.
Benavidez’s behavior of throwing numerous pictures may very well be his downfall on this battle as a result of he places his chin on the road and will get hit so much. He is determined by his output to drown his opponent, which has labored as a result of he’s fought largely smaller fighters throughout the 11 years he fought at 168.
Morrell is a much bigger puncher than the fellows that Benavidez has fought, and he’s going to be a knockout menace on this battle. He could have many alternatives to harm Benavidez as a result of he’s so accustomed to combating older, smaller fighters. He’s solely fought one man his measurement, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, and was actually hammered by that fighter. He was damage to the physique by Gvozdyk.
Knockout Wanted?
“I believe Morrell wanted one or two extra assessments to have the ability to deal with the flexibility, the ability and the arrogance that David Benavidez involves the desk with,” mentioned Antonio Tarver on his YouTube channel, TarversTake on the David Benavidez vs. David Morrell battle in eight days on February 1st.
“I believe David Morrell goes to have to search out that shot that not solely drops however concuss. He’s received to knock David Benavidez out. There are generally fighters you may make stop. I don’t suppose both of these fighters you may make stop.
“Typically you bought to knock them out, and I really feel that is a type of kinds of fights the place with a view to safe victory, considered one of these guys goes to have to finish it inside the space. David Benavidez goes to have a little bit attain and measurement benefit [correction: 6’1″ Morrell has four inch reach advantage. 6’2′ Benavidez is one inch taller, and might be heavier].”
It appears like Tarver has drunk the Kool-Assist, shopping for into the identical stuff that different Benavidez followers have mentioned about him. When you shut out the junk Benavidez’s followers are saying about him and look carefully at his A. large measurement and B. the smaller, older opposition he’d been beating, you’d see that he’s only a typical weight bully.
“I believe this might be one of many extra gifted fighters that Benavidez has confronted,” mentioned Tarver. “Morrell is available in with numerous expertise. The expertise. Guys like Caleb Plant, these kind of fighters that Benavidez has confronted. The sunshine heavyweight [Oleksandr Gvozdyk] that he [fought] was very powerful.”
You may’t give Benavidez’s hype for beating Caleb Plant as a result of Canelo Alvarez did a much better job beating him than he did. Plant gained the primary 5 rounds in opposition to Benavidez and fought him shut simply on abilities. Canelo dominated Plant and knocked him out.
You can hype up Benavidez if Plant had energy and if he hadn’t been knocked out by Canelo earlier than combating him. He didn’t do a greater job beating Plant than Canelo and misplaced nearly the entire first six rounds. He received uncovered by Plant. If that’s what you’re going to gauge Benavidez and use as your rationale for him beating Morrell, you’re not considering clearly.
Physique Assault Key
“He didn’t knock him out, however he was capable of go the space,”mentioned Morrell about Benavidez’s battle in opposition to Gvozdyk. “When you suppose who can cease who, I believe David Benavidez with that physique assault. If he can concentrate on that early and have some success, it actually helps him down the stretch. Morrell doesn’t make use of a constant physique assault. I believe most of that, he’s head-hunting.
“If you make the transition from novice to professional, it’s sitting down on these punches and having that physique assault. That’s why I’d advise any fighter to spend money on that physique. When you see considered one of these guys going downstairs early on, search for that man to have his hand raised.
“You’re going to must take possibilities if you go to the physique. It’s a must to be acutely aware sufficient to know if you’re in secure quarters. You may’t be in there together with your palms down if you attempt to rip to the physique, not with both of these guys. Each of those guys are nice counter-punchers,” mentioned Tarver.

