The Cuban claimed the WBA (Regular) light heayweight title in his most recent bout, a unanimous decision victory over Radivoje Kalajdzic last summer. Now Morrell looks to take the WBC interim title from Benavidez, who won the belt from Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his first bout in the division after starring at super middleweight.

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Both fighters are undefeated thus far in their professional careers and neither has shown much respect for the other, with the war of words between the two surely to ramp up in the final weeks before their showdown. 

“He’s been running his mouth, calling me out and disrespecting my name,” Morrell said. “That’s fine with me, because words won’t save him when we’re face-to-face in the ring. All this trash talk just fuels me. He’s going to regret every word when I make him eat his pride punch-by-punch.”

While each fighter comes into the fight with silverware and a perfect record, Benavidez has nearly three times as many pro fights under his belt and is arguably the bigger name at this point in time, which suits Morrell just fine.

The 26-year-old intends to use the bout as a springboard towards bigger and better things.

“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, it’s the fight that changes everything,” he said. “A win over Benavidez doesn’t just put me at the top – it solidifies me as one of the best fighters in the world. After this fight, there will be no question who the king of the division is. I’m ready to take that crown.”

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