David Morrell Jnr makes his pick for Gilberto Ramirez vs. David Benavidez
May 2, 2026 • 6:00 PM ET
Golden Boy PromotionsCuban light heavyweight contender David Morrell Jnr believes his former opponent, David Benavidez, will be victorious against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in Las Vegas tonight.
Morrell is 12-1 (9 KOs), with his lone loss coming to Benavidez in February last year in Las Vegas, at the T-Mobile Arena, where Benavidez faces Ramirez.
Benavidez hit the deck in an action-packed 11th, and Morrell was docked a point for hitting him after the bell.
Tonight, Benavidez moves up from light heavyweight to test himself against one of the best cruiserweights in the world.
Morrell had been due to fight Callum Smith last month, but their fight was postponed late in the day after the Liverpudlian picked up an undisclosed injury.
Now, Morrell faces Zak Chelli in Manchester next week instead.
“I know Benavidez wins this fight,” Morrell told BoxingScene. “I know it’s a different division [for Benavidez]. It’s 200lbs, but both guys have sparred before, so Benavidez knows him – the team does, too. Benavidez is more fast, more strong. I don’t know Ramirez [as well], but I know Benavidez more and I know he’s more fast and more intelligent, and I know he’s the winner of the fight. I don’t know if he wins by knockout; it depends on the situation. Anything can happen in the ring.”
Tris Dixon covered his first amateur boxing fight in 1996. The former editor of Boxing News, he has written for a number of international publications and newspapers, including GQ and Men’s Health, and is a board member for the Ringside Charitable Trust and the Ring of Brotherhood. He has been a broadcaster for TNT Sports and hosts the popular “Boxing Life Stories” podcast. Dixon is a British Boxing Hall of Famer, an International Boxing Hall of Fame elector, a BWAA award winner, and is the author of five boxing books, including “Damage: The Untold Story of Brain Trauma in Boxing” (shortlisted for the William Hill Sportsbook of the Year), “Warrior: A Champion’s Search for His Identity” (shortlisted for the Sunday Times International Sportsbook of the Year) and “The Road to Nowhere: A Journey Through Boxing’s Wastelands.” You can reach him @trisdixon on X and Instagram.
