David Benavidez got knocked down but still won his fight against David Morrell on Saturday night in Las Vegas. The 28-year-old from Phoenix kept his WBC 'Interim' light heavyweight title and undefeated record intact.
Morrell caught Benavidez with a big shot in the second-to-last round, sending him to the canvas. It was only the second time in Benavidez's career that he'd been knocked down.
"He hits harder than everybody I've faced,"Benavidez said after the fight, giving credit to Morrell's power.
Despite the knockdown, Benavidez's experience shone through. He's faced tough opponents like Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, and Anthony Dirrell. This variety of styles has helped him grow as a fighter.
"He's a good fighter but I think just my experience alone, I've seen so much different styles you know I've seen Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade, [Oleksandr] Gvozdyk, Anthony Dirrell … I'm just getting better and better."
The win marks Benavidez's 30th straight victory. He's now in a good spot to challenge for the WBC light heavyweight title, currently held by Artur Beterbiev.
Beterbiev will face Dmitry Bivol later this month in a rematch for the undisputed light heavyweight championship. Bivol won their first fight last October, becoming the first undisputed champ in the division's four-belt era.
Some fans want to see Benavidez fight Canelo Alvarez for the unified super middleweight championship. But that's not likely to happen. Benavidez has said he won't go back down to 168 pounds.
For now, Benavidez will enjoy his hard-fought win and wait to see what opportunities come next in the 175-pound division.
You can find more details about the knockdown and the fight on ESPN's website. And if you want to hear Benavidez's thoughts on Morrell's power, check out the post-fight press conference on Twitter.
