A Latin-American fighter is on the verge of dominating the pinnacle of the light heavyweight division. This Saturday, WBA Regular Champion David Morrell Jr., the Cuban sensation, will take on Mexican-American star David Benavidez in a highly anticipated clash. The winner of this evenly-matched bout will position themselves as the leading contender to face the winner of the upcoming showdown between undisputed champion Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
The history of Latin champions in the light heavyweight division dates back to 1965, when Puerto Rican legend José Luis “Chegüi” Torres (Ponce, Puerto Rico) became the first Latin fighter to claim the division’s title. Guided by the iconic trainer Cus D’Amato, Torres defeated American Willie Pastrano on March 30, 1965, marking a milestone for Latin boxing.
In 1971, Venezuelan fighter Vicente Paúl Rondón captured the vacant title by defeating American Jimmy Dupree on February 27 in Caracas. Rondón successfully defended his title three times before losing it to the great Bob Foster just over a year later.
Argentine legend Víctor Galíndez, known as “The Leopard of Morón,” added to the division’s Latin legacy when he won the vacant title on December 7, 1974, by defeating Len Hutchins. Galíndez went on to make 10 title defenses, establishing himself as the most successful champion in the division’s history until his reign ended on September 15, 1978, against Mike Rossman.
Another Argentine, Hugo Garay (Tigre, Argentina), had a brief stint as WBA Regular Champion, winning the vacant title on July 3, 2008, against Ukrainian Yuriy Barashian, only to lose it nearly a year later on June 20, 2009.
Now, David Morrell Jr. enters the ring for his first title defense as WBA Regular Champion, seeking to add his name to the prestigious list of Latin champions in the 175-pound division.
When the opening bell rings this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Morrell and Benavidez will collide in a historic bout. This is a rare opportunity for two rising stars to stake their claim as the best of their generation in the light heavyweight division and to solidify their place among the elite Latin champions in WBA history.
The fight will headline the PBC card, live from Las Vegas, and will be broadcast on PBC PPV via Prime Video.
