David Morrell Jr. vs. Aidos Yerbossynuly: Supernova or Bust

This Saturday, November 5, live on SHOWTIME from The Armory in Minneapolis, MN, unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champion and adopted Minneapolis hometown fan-favorite David Morrell Jr. (7-0, 6 KOs) takes on undefeated mandatory challenger Aidos Yerbossynuly (16-0, 11 KOs) in a 12-round battle atop a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) will feature former unified champion Jeison Rosario taking on late replacement Brian Mendoza in the 10-round middleweight co-main event. In the telecast opener, unbeaten middleweight Fiodor Czerkaszyn meets the always-tough Nathaniel Gallimore in a 10-round contest.

The Story

David Morrell Jr. is ready for next-level stardom. It’s just a matter of when and how he’ll get there.

The Cuban standout with the jaw-dropping 135-2 amateur record, defected from his home country with dreams of titles and success. In 2020, in just his third pro fight, he captured the vacant interim WBA super middleweight title via one-sided unanimous decision over undefeated veteran Lennox Allen. Shortly thereafter, he would be elevated to full champion status by the WBA. 

The 24-year-old Morrell has torn through his opposition thus far, making a name for himself as one of the top young fighters in the game. This will be his fourth straight fight at The Armory, in front of fans who have adopted him as one of their own. 

Although super middleweight showdowns with David Benavidez and unified champ Saul “Canelo” Alvarez loom large on his horizon, Morrell is first focused on dealing with this Saturday’s challenge. 

Aidos Yerbossynuly is a native of Zharkent, Kazakhstan who proudly boasts a bloodline that traces back to fearsome Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan. Now training and fighting out of Las Vegas, the undefeated 30-year-old, who began his career in impressive fashion, is setting about on the next leg of his boxing journey—the quest for world stage stardom and world title glory.

In his last bout, Yerbossynuly took a huge step up in class and passed the test with flying colors, stopping former Morrell foe Lennox Allen in ten rounds. It was the veteran’s first-ever loss by stoppage. 

The Kazakh battler says that he’s more than ready for whatever Morrell brings to him. 

The Stakes

At stake is Morrell’s WBA super middleweight title and a placement near the top of the talented and lucrative 168-pound class. 

The Matchup

Morrell is a true natural and a boxing prodigy, gifted with superior hand speed and reflexes. Brought up in the iconic Cuban amateur boxing system, he has poise and ring maturity beyond his years and the confidence that goes along with supreme seasoning. 

The explosive southpaw has a varied offense with a myriad of punches in his arsenal that he can launch  from seemingly all angles with high-impact power. Fluid and fearless in his delivery, he works well from both the inside and outside and is adept at controlling the distance and pacing of a bout.

On defense, Morrell is intuitive and efficient, relying on head movement and his superior reflexes to stay out of trouble. 

“ [Yerbossynuly] is probably the toughest opponent that I’ve faced. ”
Undefeated WBA World Super Middleweight Champion – David Morrell Jr.

Yerbossynuly is deliberate and methodical in his fighting style, with a preference for moving forward and engaging on his own terms. 

Working behind a solid and frequent jab that he uses as both a range finder and to establish distance, he wings right-handed and left-handed shots with equal efficiency. Although not in possession of true one-punch power, his punches are solid and well-placed. A wide right hand, a left hook off the jab, and an uppercut are among his primary offensive weapons. 

Yerbossynuly has basic defensive skills that have yet to be tested against high-end, world class opposition. He mostly uses a modified high guard defense to pick off incoming shots. 

The Words

David Morrell Jr.

“He is probably the toughest opponent that I’ve faced. He’s faced some really good European fighters and I’m well aware of how tough he is. But I’m back in my house to give my fans a great show. Aidos is going to see how loud The Armory can be on November 5. I’m going to be ready for whatever comes my way in this fight.”

Aidos Yerbossynuly

“We are descendants of Genghis Khan, and you will see the power of the Nomads on November 5. All of our hard work and sacrifice will pay off when I defeat David Morrell Jr. and bring the world title back to Kazakhstan.”

The Breakdown

Morrell will have just about every conceivable advantage coming into this bout.

From his amateur seasoning and his work with trainer Ronnie Shields to a seven-inch reach advantage to a major edge in overall athleticism and raw talent, Morrell seems a level above Yerbossynuly in all areas. It’s tempting to completely write off the Kazakh’s challenge and look ahead to what may be next on the Cuban’s hit list. 

But that’s exactly where Yerbossynuly may find his opening and his chance to pull off the upset. If Morrell is underestimating his challenge, looking beyond this Saturday, distracted by the bright possibilities in his near immediate future, Aidos may shock the boxing world.

It’s possible that Morrell may see Yerbossynuly as the stopover before the main destination, the speed bump before the entrance to the super highway. For Yerbossynuly, however, this title fight is the ultimate destination, his boxing equivalent of the Super Bowl and game seven of the NBA Finals. 

Could the disparity in urgency and career importance compensate for the disparity in talent and seasoning? Maybe, maybe not. 

If the upset can’t be wrangled, though, expect another brutal virtuoso performance from Morrell, one of boxing’s top young talents. That, alone, is enough of a big-time show to be worth fight fans’ time and attention. 

For a closer look at Morrell vs Yerbossynuly, check out our fight night page.