Disappointed with Morrell

[dan_cov]

This maybe unpopular but I feel he had the tools to win or at least do a lot better and Ronnie Shields did a terrible job. Dog**** trainer, no really fcvking awful trainer. Everyone tosses this guy off as being this great trainer yet I can't even remember a time when he had a fighter that came in that didn't fight like a total dip**** and to his opponents strength.
Be Cuban - Win rounds. Instead he tried to out Benavides him.
I knew from his amateur days he couldn't box going backwards but I didn't think he'd just stand there getting tee'd off on. Good on the front foot, you push him back he doesn't throw a punch.

Absolute dumb as **** gameplan. Yeah, exciting but standing in front of him? Are you dumb?

Sorry but you talked about lateral movement and called him Robocop yet fought like that yourself. Round 11-12 was more like it but this dumb ass stood in front of David Benavides, static with a high guard, leaving his body exposed. Proving, showing what? You're tough? I knew that. Like come on, who does that? You don't stand in front of this guy.

I'm sorry but that was an awful gameplan and it feels wrong saying that as he fought like someone without one.

Credit to Benavides - Monster, no but bloody good fighter. Underrated guard first off. Dare I say and yes its an ineffective martial art but its very similar to Wing Chun? I think he smacks everyone but Bivol and Beterbiev. Morrell - I think he has enough skills and is athletic enough to be a force. Not a phenom like they claim but if he had half a brain, some ring IQ to accompany his size/power he'd be a bad dude he is just dumb as his team.

I don't think say Plant is as physically gifted nor talented and he hasn't the southpaw factor yet he did better just because he had a gameplan and a solid trainer.

Again - unpopular but Morrell is limited and has no ring IQ
He hasn't really improved from when he fought Julio Cesar La Cruz in the amateurs - Good talent, can't fight going backwards and does all this shuffling and wasted movement with no purpose. Then or vs Benavides like why for what purpose? Ya miles behind ya twonk

[famicommander]

This was his first fight at the world level. They should have stepped him up gradually before tossing him to the wolves. Benavidez had wins over Anthony Dirrell, David Lemieux, Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade, and Oleskandr Gvozdyk. Who was Morrell's best opponent prior to this fight? Fox? No comparison.

[dan_cov]

His stock has likely gone up because he showed grit, went the distance.
Truth is it was a bs knockdown and he lost nearly every round.

Entertaining but he tried to out Mexican a Mexican.

Na man, these new school bunch of Cubans just ain't it.

I love Yoenli Hernandez but being honest he is another that tries to hard to be fan friendly. Good on the inside game but he could make it easier from range but would just get called boring. Sort of forced to changing his style

[dan_cov]

This was his first fight at the world level. They should have stepped him up gradually before tossing him to the wolves. Benavidez had wins over Anthony Dirrell, David Lemieux, Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade, and Oleskandr Gvozdyk. Who was Morrell's best opponent prior to this fight? Fox? No comparison.

I don't think competition or experience was a factor. More Morrells limitations/lack of prep and gameplan.

He is what he is at this stage. We auto feel Morrell is young but he is 27 and lost all his ammy bouts through the same, he's not changing now. He is what he is.

[famicommander]

I don't think competition or experience was a factor. More Morrells limitations/lack of prep and gameplan.

He is what he is at this stage. We auto feel Morrell is young but he is 27 and lost all his ammy bouts through the same, he's not changing now. He is what he is.

Of course it was a factor. Morrell was blasting out nobodies and bums and fought somebody good for the very first time.

[dan_cov]

There was certain moments I knew he would have difficulty. His inactive guard, his inability to punch when pushed back. I just felt he'd be more active and punch on the fly which he can and does just sporadically.
I just do not understand why anyone would stand in front of Benavides with a high guard and not even catching and shooting just soaking it up.

Like man wtf is even the point being a southpaw? you just auto gave up that advantage.

[dan_cov]

Of course it was a factor. Morrell was blasting out nobodies and bums and fought somebody good for the very first time.

Maybe you're right
He sure fought like he was fighting some bum he could just bomb out of there and was arrogant af throughout the build up and even during the early rounds even the ones he was losing and getting slapped about in

[elfag]

he was completely outclassed

lost nearly every round.

his defense was pretty poor, bena could land at will, if bena had more power he would easily been KO'd.

he had problems getting through bena's guard.

he was supposed to be the superior boxer, from the cuban pedigreed. but he was outclassed all around. it would be different if he was showing good accuracy and good defense and simply got outworked, but he was outboxed AND outworked.


Morrell needs someone with a slower pace who will try to box with him, he should face plant, that would be interesting. i dont know if he even beats plant.

[The Big Dunn]

I think Morrell did the best he could. No shame in that imo.

Benavidez is a really tough guy with above average skill. He isn’t unbeatable by any means. But he is a level above a guy like Morrell.

[jqSide]

Certainly looks like some people didn't get any clue from Morrell's last fight with Kalajdzic. Which is what the rest took their overwhelming prediction for Benavidez came from.