Interim light-heavyweight champions David Benavidez and David Morrell will headline a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card to compete in a unique but pivotal unification bout. Both fighters are set to headline on February 1 at the esteemed T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Further complementing the card will be the co-main event between WBC featherweight champion Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton―officially marking a rematch of their 2021 bout at super bantamweight which saw Fulton win to become a unified champion.

Budding American star David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KO’s) and Cuban talent David Morrell (11-0, 9 KO’s) seemed to have been destined to meet each other since becoming top contenders in the super middleweight (168 lbs) division. Amidst their tenures as interim champions at super middleweight, an opportunity to face then-undisputed 168 lbs champion Canelo Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KO’s) never emerged, eventually prompting both Benavidez and Morrell to move up to light-heavyweight (175 lbs).

Earlies this year, Benavidez and Morrell would successfully conquer the same interim belts they had attained at 168 lbs; respectively the WBC and WBA interim titles. However, with current undisputed light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KO’s) currently in possession of all the titles at 175 lbs and a rematch with Dmitry Bivol (23-1, 12 KO’s) highly expected sometime next year, both interim champions would have been idle awaiting an opportunity to challenge for the title.

A title bout between David Benavidez and David Morrell therefore forms a fitting solution to determine the next #1 contender in the division, regardless of the outcome of the potential Beterbiev-Bivol rematch. The high-stakes affair is further deepened by the unbeaten records of both interim champions, and mired with the reputation both have as prime-aged fighters, the competitiveness of the upcoming contest aims to make one of the most exciting and relevant matches of 2025.

In the co-main event, American WBC featherweight (126 lbs) champion Brandon Figueroa (25-1-1, 19 KO’s) and Stephen Fulton (22-1, 8 KO’s) will engage in a rematch of their 2021 bout which saw Fulton become the unified WBC and WBO champion of the super bantamweight (122 lbs) division. Having gained the WBC interim title in March of 2023, the October update of the sanctioning body’s rankings saw former WBC champion Rey Vargas (36-1-1, 22 KO’s) relegated to champion-in-recess while Figueroa was elevated to WBC world champion of the featherweight division.

With the WBC title on the line, another winner-takes-all title bout stands poised to become one of the more important fights of their year. Both Fulton and Figueroa have grown since their 2021 match and with the two having moved up to featherweight, their eye-catching rematch might yet supersede the main event in performance.

On the undercard, Mexican former WBA super lightweight (140 lbs) champion Isaac Cruz (26-3-1, 18 KO’s) is set to continue his career at 140 lbs following a decisive loss to Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela (14-2, 9 KO’s) on August 1 who now holds the WBA title. Cruz will be fighting countryman Angel Fierro (22-2-2, 17 KO’s) who similar to Cruz spent most of his career as a lightweight (135 lbs) contender before moving up in 2024.

Additionally, American super welterweight (154 lbs) contender Jesus Ramos Jr. (21-1, 17 KO’s) has been confirmed to face former unified 154 lbs champion Jeison Rosario (24-4-2, 18 KO’s) from the Domincan Republic.