In front of a loud, cheering crowd, David Benavidez delivered a thrilling performance in his showdown against David Morrell. The highly anticipated title eliminator, which determined the next challenger for the winner of the February 22nd Beterbiev-Bivol rematch, ended with Benavidez securing a unanimous decision victory.

The judges’ scorecards read 115-111, 115-111, and 118-108, all in favor of Benavidez. With this win, the Phoenix-born fighter now moves forward to a bout that could define his legacy – one that previously slipped from his grasp in the super middleweight division. Meeting fan expectations, the fight featured both Benavidez and Morrell battling in pockets, exchanging wild punches. Unsurprisingly, Benavidez lived up to his reputation by maintaining a high punch volume. However, the match took a dramatic turn in the eleventh round when Morrell scored a surprising knockdown. The subsequent sequence sparked a division among fans, leading to heated reactions on social media.

The eleventh-round fireworks

@DanTheBoxingman’s tweet was explicit. Sharing the footage of the sequence, the message read, “DAVID MORRELL HITS BENAVIDEZ AFTER THE BELL & GETS A POINT TAKEN AWAY‼️👀👀.” The incident unfolded after Morrell landed a right hook knockdown on Benavidez. Though Benavidez recovered quickly and resumed fighting, the tension escalated in the final ten seconds of the round. As Benavidez trapped Morrell against the ropes, he unleashed a relentless flurry of punches. The bell to end the round was clearly audible, yet Morrell threw a right hand just as it sounded, leading to a controversial point deduction.

While fans were quick to criticize Morrell, some questioned whether Benavidez also contributed to the late exchange. Did the referee handle it fairly? Was the point deduction justified? The debate raged on. But one thing is clear – this fight delivered the fireworks fans had been hoping for.

Let’s take a look at how fans reacted to the eleventh-round confusion.

David Morrell or David Benavidez: For whom the bell tolls?

One fan strongly disagreed with the referee’s decision, saying, “Benavidez hit him late first, then received a receipt. Bad call by the ref.” Benavidez initiated the late exchange by throwing after the bell, so if Morrell was penalized, Benavidez should have been as well.

Another fan expressed frustration: “That’s some bullsh*t, and he knocked out David. 🤦🏽‍♂️️” They likely felt that the point deduction was unfair, especially since Morrell had knocked down Benavidez. Perhaps they believed the decision influenced the fight’s outcome.

Similar sentiments were shared by another user: “That’s what ultimately cost [them] …. Probably would have won with the knockdown anyway, tbh.” Perhaps the point deduction swung the fight in Benavidez’s favor, and without it, Morrell may have had a real chance at victory.

“Ref made a stupid call. Benavidez landed just after the bell rang as well,” said this fan. Maybe the referee should have either penalized both fighters or let it slide, instead of only punishing Morrell.

Another user took a more sarcastic approach: “We all love Benavidez, so we’re going to pretend he did not hit Morrell after the bell first? Come on,” they said. Clearly, everyone overlooked Benavidez’s late punch while only focusing on Morrell’s.

One thing is clear: the controversy only added to the drama of the fight.

However, Benavidez’s superior accuracy and sheer punch volume had already put him ahead on the scorecards from the start. While the eleventh-round incident sparked debate, it shouldn’t be the sole focus – Benavidez had clearly outboxed Morrell to secure a well-earned victory.

What do you think? Do you agree with the fans’ reactions to the eleventh-round incident?