David Benavidez Reveals Unexpected Opponent for Light Heavyweight Debut: "One For The Fans"

David Benavidez is set to face David Morrell in a light heavyweight clash. The fight announcement comes as Benavidez continues to seek out tough challenges in the boxing world.

Benavidez tried to secure a fight with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in the super-middleweight division but couldn't make it happen. He then moved up to light heavyweight and won his first fight against Oleksandr Gvozdyk by unanimous decision. That win earned him the WBC Interim Champion title and put him first in line for an undisputed title shot.

Instead of waiting for that opportunity, Benavidez decided to take on another challenge. He shared the news on social media, saying:

"There was a lot of names on the table but I wanted to give my fans the best fight possible. I reached out to David Morrell and his team to make this happen and we got the contract done. This fight really gonna be a banger!!! Two of the best in the division and two titles on the line, Let's f***ing go! Date & Location to be announced shortly."

The fight is expected to take place in early 2025 and will be promoted by PBC and broadcast on Amazon Prime. It might share the headline with Sebastian Fundora, who's in talks to face either Terence Crawford or Erroll Spence Jr.

Benavidez, 27, is an undefeated two-time champion and currently holds the WBC Interim Champion title at Light Heavyweight. His opponent, Cuban boxer David Morrell, has an impressive record of 11 wins with 9 knockouts and no losses. Morrell recently won a fight at 175 lbs against Radivoje Kalajdzic in August. You can check out Morrell's full BoxRec profile for more details.

The winner of this fight could be in line to face the victor of the upcoming undisputed light heavyweight clash between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. That fight will determine the top dog in the division, making it a potential future target for Benavidez if he gets past Morrell.