David Benavidez vs. David Morrell Jr.: Live round-by-round updates

The David Benavidez vs. David Morrell Jr. round-by-round updates are here. They provide real-time coverage and live scoring of the upcoming light heavyweight title fight. The event itself begins at 6:00 PM E.T. (Eastern Time) / 3:00 PM P.T. (Pacific Time), while the main card starts at 8:00 PM E.T. / 5:00 PM P.T.

However, the headline bout, which is scheduled for 12 rounds, is expected to take place at around 12:30 AM E.T. / 9:30 PM P.T. The bout is one of great importance for both men, though for different reasons. Not only is it a championship fight, it could be a matchup of opportunities.

Benavidez, who is 29-0 and the interim WBC light heavyweight champion, has wins over notable boxers like the short-fused Caleb Plant. However, his true goal is to fight the great Canelo Alvarez, who has shown little interest in a bout. To maintain even a sliver of a hope of fighting Alvarez, he must win tonight.

Meanwhile, Morrell enters the ring as the WBA (Regular) light heavyweight champion. At 11-0, he hasn't had as much experience as Benavidez, but with 9 knockouts to his name, he brings tremendous punching power to the table. While he is a threat, the oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook favor Benavidez.

The American is a -230 favorite, while Morrell is a +180 underdog heading into the bout.

Follow Sportskeeda for play-by-play analysis and live scoring of the upcoming light heavyweight title fight.

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David Benavidez vs. David Morrell Jr.

Round 1: Immediate pressure from Benavidez, with Morrell feinting and level-changing. A jab lands for Benavidez, and Morrell responds with a quick one-two. Body jab for Benavidez, followed by another one. Morrell with a good left hook to the body. Benavidez strings together a nice combination in response.

Morrell fires back his own combination, landing his right hook. Not everything Morrell is throwing is landing, but he's more active than Benavidez right now. However, the interim champion blasts Morrell's body with a combination. Morrell fires back his own combination, briefly stumbling Benavidez. 10-9 Benavidez

Round 2: Benavidez with a pair of jabs, followed by a right hand. He's on the front foot now, but Morrell is firing back his own jabs, before countering Benavidez hard. In turn, Benavidez blasts Morrell. It's a good fight so far, and Morrell unloads with a combination, but Benavidez backs him up to the ropes, landing hard.

The pressure from Benavidez is relentless, and he splits Morrell's guard with a lead right hand. A good right hook from Benavidez catches Morrell around the guard. Morrell with a jab and combination. 10-9 Morrell

Round 3: Immediate pressure from Benavidez, but Morrell dissuades him with a heavy combination. A body jab lands for Benavidez, but Morrell backs him up and lands a combination. Benavidez blasts Morrell with a body shot. More body shots from Benavidez, and Morrell with finds a home for his own shots.

But Benavidez goads him, catching him with a combination of his own. An inside combination from Morrell pushes Benavidez back. Benavidez fires back with his own combination, landing to the body. 10-9 Benavidez

Round 4: Benavidez is quick to back Morrell up, landing a right hand. He traps Morrell in the corner, and both men unleash furious combinations, with Benavidez landing cleaner. A big uppercut from Benavidez, but Morrell survives and circles back int othe center.

Benavidez has no fear of Morrell's power, and blasts him with a hard counter on the inside. Repeated uppercuts from Benavidez land flush, but Morrell's chin is holding up well. Morrell is ceding ground but catches Benavidez with a big shot. However, Benavidez survives the round as Morrell unleashes a furious combination. 10-9 Morrell

Round 5: Benavidez with his patented pressure, but he's being more patient, likely still shaking the cobwebs of being hurt. He tries to string together a combination, but Morrell is wise to it. Now Morrell is on the front foot, landing a body jab before unleashing a short combination, blasting Benavidez's body.

Benavidez, though, counters him twice. Now Benavidez is back with his foot on the gas, backing Morrell to the ropes, appearing to hurt him with a body shot. They end the round trading. 10-9 Benavidez

Round 6: A jab from Benavidez starts off the round. Morrell answers with his own jab. Body shots from Benavidez blast Morrell's midsection. He's investing more in his body shots, backing his opponent up to the ropes and blasting him with uppercuts and hooks to the body.

Morrell is a stationary target now, and Benavidez stuns him with an uppercut. Morrell is quick to answer immediately, forcing Benavidez onto the backfoot with a combination, but he eats an uppercut. However, Morrell returns fire with a left hook. They end the round with a Benavidez combination. 10-9 Benavidez

Round 7: Benavidez on the front foot, pressuring Morrell with jabs and body shots. Morrell needs to do something to regain his momentum, but Benavidez has him figured out. He's jabbing him up, but Morrell does snipe him with a right straight. Morrell has slowed down and Benavidez is breaking him down.

Uppercuts land for Benavidez. A body shot from Benavidez causes Morrell to breathe deep. A short left hook from Benavidez lands, catching Morrell dipping low. More bodywork from Benavidez as Morrell's activity has dropped off tremendously. 10-9 Benavidez

Round 8: Morrell's corner has implored him to fight on the front foot, but Benavidez doesn't allow him to, walking him down. Body shots for Benavidez, followed by a less committed body jab. Morrell is struggling, but he finds a brief moment and lands a counter-left.

A big body shot lands for Benavidez. Morell fires back with a short left hand. Benavidez lands several hooks, continuing to blast his foe's midsection. He backs Morrell up and blasts him with a good right hand. 10-9 Benavidez

Round 9: More pressure from Benavidez, but Morrell tries to dissuade him with a wild swing. Morrell with a combination, but Benavidez blasts him with a right hand. A body shot lands for Benavidez, but Morrell answers him with a combination, ripping the midsection.

In response, Benavidez begins brutalizing Morrell's body with combination after combination. Morrell is tough and fires back, but Benavidez is wise to his efforts and counters him. Another body shot for Benavidez, which Morrell answers with a big right hand. 10-9 Benavidez

Round 10: More pressure from Benavidez, while Morrell tries to stop his forward movement with jabs and body shots. Unfortunately, he's struggling to land clean now. Benavidez continues to walk him down, intercepting a level change with a hard uppercut.

Morrell tries to string together a combination, but he's missing now. Benavidez with another uppercut, followed by a right hook. He returns to his bodywork, while Morrell snipes him with a jab coming in. Both men have slowed down now. Benavidez with two shots to the body.

More body shots from Benavidez. A lead right hand from Benavidez lands, as does a two-punch combination. The round ends with showmanship from Benavidez. 10-9 Benavidez

Round 11: Both men circle each other in the center, with Benavidez landing jabs and uppercuts. Morrell with a two-punch combination, but Benavidez digs into the body. Morrell with a combination, while Benavidez catches him with an uppercut. However, Morrell backs him up, landing combinations.

Benavidez taunts him, trying to goad him into a pocket boxing exchange against the ropes. Morrell with a BIG RIGHT HAND, knocks Benavidez down in the dying seconds of the penultimate round. They end the round trading, with a massive shot from Morrell well after the bell costing him a point. 10-9 Morrell

Round 12: Morrell is off to a furious start, landing big combinations. He's down on the scorecards and needs a stoppage. He's jabbing Benavidez, who responds with his own combination, buckling Morrell. Uppercuts land for Benavidez, followed by a third. Morrell answers with a combination.

A right hook from Benavidez lands clean as he walks Morrell down. Benavidez on the front foot, and a clash of heads leads to a brief pause. They end the round trading and showboating. 10-9 Benavidez

Official Decision: David Benavidez def. David Morrell Jr. via unanimious decision (115-111, 115-111, 118-108)