Evolving at Max Level?

So I had a particular question about evolving, so I'm just going to use my current situation to explain it throughly...

I have Zoro: 108 Pound Phoenix at Level 35. I know that the Max Level is 50 and that getting him to that point will give him better stats in this form. However, I also have all the materials to evolve him right now as well.

I suppose what I'm asking is this: Is there any stat benefit for Asura Zoro by leveling up Pound Phoenix Zoro to MAX and then evolving him? Or will the overall stats still be the same even if I evolve Phoenix Zoro now?

And thank you in advance for reading and/or replying to this message! Have Zoro, Sanji, Ussop, and Nami on standby for leveling up and I just can't take waiting for them to level, but I will if it means better final stats on their final forms!

You have to level a character to max before you can evolve them. In other games you can choose when to evolve a unit which means it would be better to wait until they're max before evolving, however, in treasure cruise you have to wait until a character is at max level to evolve them.