LAS VEGAS – David Benavidez didn’t destroy David Morrell Jr. in the way he had hoped. (photo by German Villasenor) 

The comparatively inexperienced Cuban southpaw proved to be a very worthy adversary Saturday night. The strong, skillful Morrell didn’t do enough, however, to beat Benavidez in their 12-round pay-per-view main event at T-Mobile Arena.

Benavidez won their high-level battle by unanimous decision and moved toward a possible shot at the winner of the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol rematch February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Judges Tim Cheatham (118-108), Patricia Morse Jarman (115-111) and Steve Weisfeld (115-111) all scored at least eight rounds for the unbeaten Benavidez.

Phoenix’s Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) retained his WBC interim light heavyweight title and won the WBA “world” 175-pound from Miami’s Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs). Benavidez, The Ring’s No. 3-rated light heavyweight contender, also became the WBC’s mandatory challenger for whoever wins the immediate rematch between undisputed 175-pound champ Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) and former WBA champ Dmitry Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) on February 22 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Turki Alalshikh, owner of The Ring and head of Riyadh Season, has extended an invitation to Benavidez to sit ringside for the Beterbiev-Bivol rematch.

“Big shout out to Morrell,” Benavidez told PBC’s Brian Campbell in the ring. “He took a tough test. You know, I knew he was gonna be a tough fighter. That’s why I prepared so hard for this. That’s why I’m just happy that people were able to get a good show tonight.”

Benavidez credited Morrell for being the best opponent of his career.

“I prepared for everything,” Benavidez said. “I knew he was a great fighter, so I was on my Ps and Qs. Head movement was good, defense was good. To be honest, I thought he was gonna hit harder, but he didn’t.”

Benavidez and Morrell went toe to toe at times during the 12th round, though neither fighter could connect with the type of punch necessary to score a knockout.

Morrell backed Benavidez into the ropes during the middle minute of the 11th round. Benavidez blocked most of Morrell’s punches, but Morrell knocked Benavidez off balance and to the canvas with just under 30 seconds to go in the 11th round.

That marked just the second time Benavidez has been down in 30 professional fights. He hadn’t been dropped before Saturday night since the 12th round of his split-decision victory over Ronald Gavril in September 2017 at nearby Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Benavidez wasn’t hurt when he got off the canvas. He attacked Morrell and unloaded power punches on him.

Morrell felt Benavidez hit him after the bell sounded to end the 11th round, however, and blasted Benavidez with a right hook that was an obvious foul. Taylor took a point from Morrell for that infraction, which negated the point he gained from sending Benavidez to the canvas.

Morrell and Benavidez shuffled their feet toward the end of the 10th round more than they threw punches. By that point in the fight, Benavidez’s lead seemed insurmountable, which left Morrell in need of a knockout against an opponent whose chin has been one of his best assets.

Taylor warned Morrell for using his shoulder a little more than a minute into the ninth round. Morrell demonstrated his toughness by take Benavidez’s best shots in the ninth round and firing back with uppercuts and hooks of his own.

Benavidez caught Morrell cleanly with a right hand a few seconds before the eighth round ended. A straight left by Morrell moved Benavidez backward early in the eighth round.

A right uppercut by Benavidez connected with about 1:20 on the clock in the seventh round. Morrell quickly came back with a left hand that made Benavidez back off, though.

Benavidez’s right to Morrell’s body was effective toward the end of the sixth round. A left uppercut by Benavidez rocked Morrell just after the halfway point of the sixth round. Morrell overcame it quickly, though, and went on the offensive.

Morrell moved Benavidez into the ropes in the final minute of the fifth round and threw hard shots to his body and head. Benavidez blocked some of those shots and eventually moved Morrell against the ropes across the ring.

A right uppercut by Benavidez stung Morrell just after the midway mark of the fourth round. Morrell attempted to catch his breath, but Benavidez’s pressure bothered him and he landed two more right hands as he took complete control of that round.

A right hand by Benaviez staggered Morrell with about 30 seconds remaining in the fourth round. Morrell fired back and exchanged with Benavidez, who looked like he was starting to wear Morrell down during that sequence.

A bullish Benavidez backed Morrell into a neutral corner and unloaded a barrage of punches early in the fourth round. Morrell moved out of that position after absorbing several power punches.

Morrell connected with a straight left that made Benavidez reset his feet toward the end of the third round.

Morrell let his hands go during the middle minute of the third round, but Benavidez blocked almost all of those shots and waved Morrell forward. Benavidez landed a right hand that made Morrell retreat soon thereafter.

Taylor warned Benavidez for a low blow a little less than a minute into the third round.

A straight left by Morrell knocked Benavidez off balance about 40 seconds into the second round. Benavidez backed Morrell into the ropes several seconds later and landed a right hand.

Benavidez later landed a left hook to Morrell’s jaw as Morrell moved away from Benavidez’s corner. Morrell then caught Benavidez with a right hook when there was about 50 seconds to go in the second round and a straight left later in the second round.

Benavidez defended himself well during the opening round by keeping his hands held high and at least partially blocking many of Morrell’s punches. He didn’t do much offensively, either, but he landed a right hand to the side of Morrelll’s head during the final minute of the first round that appeared to be the cleanest punch of those three minutes.