David Morrell is reportedly visiting trainer Abel Sanchez at his gym in Big Bear, California, to see if the two are a good mix for a coaching change for the Cuban fighter.
Evaluating Abel Sanchez’s Coaching Fit
Boxing insider Carlos Linares reports that Morrell is looking to replace his trainer, Ronnie Shields, who he’s been working with since 2023, in Houston, Texas. For Morrell’s team-up with Sanchez to work, he’s got to follow his instructions in the corner and carry them out. It’s pointless for Morrell to change trainers to Abel if he’s not going to follow his orders.
The former two-division world champion Morrell (12-1, 9 KOs) is trying to regain the form that he had in his career before his last three disappointing performances against Imam Khataev, David Benavidez, and Radivoje Kalajdzic.
In each of those fights, Morrell appeared to lose concentration, fighting only in brief spurts and struggling. Morrell showed mental lapses in concentration in those contests that must be fixed if he wants to be successful at light heavyweight.
Khataev Bout Revealed Key Weaknesses
In the 27-year-old Morrell’s last fight against Khataev (10-1, 9 KOs) on July 12, 2025, he was knocked down in the fifth round and won what many boxing fans felt was a controversial 10-round split decision.
During much of the fight, Morrell shelled up behind a high guard and would rest against the ropes, allowing Khataev to tee off on him. He fought more like a sparring partner during these instances.
In rounds nine and ten, Morrell had Khataev seemingly hurt, but inexplicably backed off and covered up rather than going for the finish against the tired Russian fighter. It looked strange. In Morrell’s corner, one could see that he was being given stern instructions by his trainer, Shields. However, Morrell continued to follow the same pattern as he had in previous rounds, fighting sporadically and covering up too often.
Benavidez Battle Aftermath
Earlier this year, Morrell lost his WBA ‘regular’ light heavyweight title to David Benavidez by a 12-round unanimous decision on February 1, 2025. Like in Morrell’s battle against Khataev, he covered up for long stretches, allowing ‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez to bombard him with short punches, overwhelming him with shots. The scores were 118-108, 115-111, and 115-111.
When Morrell did let his hands go, he had Benavidez hurt in rounds 4 and dropped him in round 11. Again, Morrell wasn’t consistent with his offense and spent too much time covering up. The result was Benavidez winning a surprisingly easy decision against the more powerful Morrell. In hindsight, it was a fight that Morrell potentially could have won if he’d matched Benavidez’s nonstop punching style with his superior power.
Strategic Case for Returning to 168 lbs
One move that Morrell should potentially make if he teams up with trainer Abel Sanchez is to move back down to 168. It’s a better weight class for the Cuban, given his approach to fighting in spurts. His power is more formidable in the super middleweight division than at 175. If Morrell isn’t going to change his style, he won’t do well at light heavyweight, as it requires a more consistent offensive effort to excel at this weight.
Analyst Verdict: Can Sanchez Reignite Morrell’s Fire?
Working with Abel Sanchez would be the right trainer for David Morrell to refocus and fight with more consistent aggression than he’s shown in his last three contests. Abel is less forgiving of fighters who are disengaged, don’t follow instructions, and do not put forth maximum effort. That would be a problem for Morrell if he fails to follow Sanchez’s directions.
Sanchez expects his fighters to apply pressure and stay on top of their opponents. Past fighters Abel has trained at his high altitude Big Bear, California gym:
- Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin
- Terry Norris
- Murat Gassiev
- Lupe Aquino
- Orlin Norris
- Miguel Ángel González
If the Cuban Morrell is willing to listen to Sanchez and follow his strict discipline, he can regain what he’s lost recently in his last three performances. But if Morrell continues to lose focus and do whatever he wants in rounds, teaming up with Sanchez at Big Bear won’t save his career. At 27, it’s not too late for Morrell to turn his career around to find the success he had at 168, but it’s going to require change.
Last Updated on 10/27/2025
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