Getting called the toughest test of David Benavidez‘s career is massive praise for David Morrell, especially right now. Plenty of boxing fans still wonder how Morrell bounces back from getting stopped by Zak Chelli.

The slick skill set that gave Benavidez fits proves Morrell belongs near the elite level. Still, his next outing has to show he took real lessons away from Manchester.

Premier Boxing Champions recently dropped a ranking where Benavidez put Morrell at the very top of his list, right above Caleb Plant, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Ronald Gavril, plus Rogelio Medina. Benavidez dropped that list while gearing up for his December 5 cruiserweight unification match against Michal Cieslak at Desert Diamond Arena.

Morrell pushed Benavidez through twelve grueling rounds back in February 2025, dropping a decision on the scorecards. What happened next against Chelli proved much tougher to swallow. Chelli took that fight on short notice after Callum Smith pulled out hurt. Even though Morrell controlled early action with sharp boxing, Chelli rocked him in the ninth round before closing the show in the tenth.

That sudden collapse makes Morrell’s ring return fascinating. He can pile up rounds behind a crisp jab, yet things get dicey whenever someone forces him backward. Covering up against the ropes let Chelli unload heavy combinations without breaking a sweat.

Fixing that flaw is what counts moving forward. Morrell needs other ideas after throwing punches. Staying off the ropes, cutting angles, or finding ways to negate incoming pressure would give supporters hope instead of empty comeback talk.

Benavidez knows what he felt in that ring, which makes his praise carry serious weight. It doesn’t wipe away the Chelli loss, but it warns everyone against counting the Cuban out too fast.

Morrell doesn’t have a return date locked in just yet, so picking the right opponent is critical. Taking an easy touch might rebuild his self-confidence. Down the road, he must stand up to relentless pressure to prove old mistakes won’t ruin him.

David Benavidez ranks his TOP 5 toughest opponents.

#BenavidezCieslak | Dec. 5 | LIVE on PPV | @DAZNBoxing & @PrimeVideo

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— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) November 5, 2026

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