Boxing analyst Teddy Atlas predicts an early knockout win for Cuban expertise David Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs) in his struggle towards Radivoje “Scorching Rod” Kalajdzic (29-2, 21 KOs) for the vacant WBA World mild heavyweight title this Saturday, August third, on the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Morrell-Kalajdzic is without doubt one of the many wonderful fights on Saturday’s stacked Riyadh Season card that might be proven stay on DAZN PPV.
Morrell’s Ascent to 175
The previous WBA ‘common’ tremendous middleweight champion Morrell, 26, is making his debut at 175 after hanging out in his makes an attempt at getting significant fights towards Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez at 168.
Morrell would have stayed in that weight class somewhat bit longer if he may have gotten these varieties of fights, however he’s simply too good for the favored fighters to need to danger going through him.
Kalajdzic, 32, is a strong former world title challenger who hasn’t misplaced since being stopped within the fifth spherical by IBF mild heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev on Might 4th, 2019. ‘Scorching Rod’ Kalajdzic has received his final 5 fights and seemed good.
Potential Path to Superstardom
Saturday’s struggle will enable Morrell to make a case for being the one to problem the winner of the October twelfth undisputed mild heavyweight conflict between Beterbiev and WBA champion Dmitry Bivol.
David Benavidez is in pole place to problem the winner of that struggle, however he didn’t look good in his debut at 175, and plenty of really feel that he’s not minimize out for the division.
If Morrell appears to be like like gold towards Kalajdzic, His Excellency Turki Alalashkih could decide to have him struggle the winner of the Beterbiev-Bivol struggle and let Benavidez get extra expertise within the weight class to develop his energy.
“I actually like David Morrell. He’s like a prodigy. He’s received a world title in a really brief time frame. Solely particular fighters do this, and we haven’t seen one of the best of him,” mentioned boxing analyst Teddy Atlas on his YouTube channel, discussing David Morrell’s struggle this Saturday night time towards Radivoje Kalajdzic in Los Angeles.
The issue with Morrell is he’s not been in a position to get the fights he’s wanted to point out off his expertise as a result of he’s seemed so good. If he had struggled in a few of his fights, he possible would have gotten Canelo and Benavidez to face him, however that hasn’t been the case.
Morrell’s Spectacular Document
– Sena Agbeko: TKO 2
– Yamaguchi Falcão: KO 1
– Aidos Yerbossynuly: KO 12
– Kalvin Henderson: TKO 4
– Alantez Fox: TKO 4
– Mario Abel Cazares: KO 1
“I take Morrell by knockout, and I’d say inside 4 rounds. By the best way, Kalajdzic has been stopped one time by a fantastic fighter. A fighter named Beterbiev,” mentioned Atlas.
It could be spectacular if Morrell may knock out Kalajdzic faster than Beterbiev did 5 years in the past, as that may present that he’s geared up to struggle at a excessive degree within the 175-lb weight class. We all know Morrell was excellent at 168, however he has to point out the followers that he can carry out properly at 175.
“He hasn’t fought one of the best but. We nonetheless must see him at the least in a struggle that he’ll be examined,” Atlas continued about Morrell. “He’s preventing an ungainly fighter [Kalajdzic] who can punch. He’s been knocked out one time. He’s 33 years outdated, and he’s going to get stopped once more, I imagine, by Morrell.”
Will probably be tough for Kalajdzic to final lengthy on this struggle as a result of he should go to conflict with Morrell and attempt to beat him at his personal recreation. Given his energy and expertise, I don’t know if that’s attainable.
Atlas’s Confidence in Morrell
“Morrell is that type of expertise. He comes from the good Cuban workforce. We don’t know the way good he could be. I feel he could be nice,” mentioned Atlas.
“I’m going to say if he fights that struggle, I’m going to place him in my pound-for-pound. I do imagine Morrell is the actual factor. He’s simply obtained to get that signature struggle that everyone has to get in some unspecified time in the future,” mentioned Atlas about Morrell preventing Canelo Alvarez.
Clearly, Canelo received’t struggle Morrell as a result of if he had any curiosity, he would have completed it whereas nonetheless at 168.
Canelo received’t transfer again as much as 175 after his dangerous expertise in 2022, and he positively received’t need to tangle with Morrell and danger getting knocked out. If Benavidez needs nothing to do with Morrell, you possibly can guess Canelo won’t ever struggle him.
