From dreaming of becoming a baseball player to knocking out more than 80% of his opponents, the Cuban boxing sensation David Morrell has come a long way. In just his fourth career fight, he became the WBA “Regular” super middleweight champion. However, due to a lack of opportunities, he moved to 175 lbs and grabbed the WBA regular light heavyweight title in his debut bout in the weight class last year.

In just 11 career fights, Osvary Morrell has established himself as one of the top contenders. Thank god, he didn’t pursue baseball. Or you can just thank his father and his brother, who encouraged him to take boxing and the 27-year-old never looked back.

Everything about David Morrell’s father and mother

David Morrell was born in Santa Clara. His parents, Rafael Sr. and Beti Gutierrez played an important role in shaping his career. His father especially helped him a lot by taking him to fights and explaining to him the ins and outs of the sport.

When Morrell thought that there were limited opportunities for him in Cuba, Rafael Sr. prepared to leave the country with him and his brother. However, authorities caught them during the trip and deported his father back to Cuba. But Morrell managed to make it to the US.

A year later, in 2019, the 11-0 boxer made his professional debut and the parents couldn’t be happier. While the defection worked for him, it came with a price. The lengthy exile separated him from his family and the Cuban government punished his teenage twin brothers. The authorities restricted their boxing activities, banning them from competing in tournaments.

For David Morrell, winning was not just for the records, but to also reunite his family. He used to talk to his family daily, but everyone in Morrell’s family yearned to hold each other. David Morrell Jr. finally fulfilled his dream ahead of his final match in the super middleweight division against Sena Agbeko.

Both Rafael Sr. and Beti Gutierrez flew to the U.S. to watch their son in action for the first time, and their son did not disappoint him as he knocked Agbeko out in the second round. To see their son on top of the ropes celebrating must have been a proud moment for Rafael Sr. and Beti Gutierrez, a moment that was only made possible because one fine day he saw his brother in action.

How David Morrell’s brother made him pursue boxing

As a little boy in Santa Clara, Morrell had the ambition to become a baseball player. However, that all changed when he saw a boxing match that featured another ‘Morrell.’ Curiously, the kid asked his mother “Why that guy fighting on T.V. has the same last name as me?” 

To his surprise, Osvary’s mother revealed that he was his half-brother, Rafael Morrell. In a moment, the young lad decided that “I wanted to be just like my brother. That was my inspiration, seeing my brother fighting and following his footsteps.” 

Rafael was Senior’s son from another relationship and even though the 11-0 “didn’t know much about him. I knew of him, but he’s just so much older that I didn’t really see him. We’ve got the same father. He’s just way older, so I didn’t grow up with him day-to-day,” he felt a kinship that motivated him. For context, Rafael Jr. is 16 years older than his younger half-brother.

The half-brothers defected the country together and spent an entire year in Mexico waiting for a legal U.S. visa. And when they finally got it, none of them looked behind.

In just a week, David Morrell will take on the Mexican Monster David Benavidez as the duo will try to assert their superiority in the 175 lbs. For Morrell, it is more than just a fight, as a win here will be a result of every sacrifice that he and his family have made so far.