Many fans are beginning to think that interim WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez made a mistake by choosing to fight “regular” WBA champion David Morrell at this early stage of his career before getting the money fight he was seeking.
Morell has the strength, speed and technical skills to knock Benavidez out and send him into the mud, where he may never return. The Cuban talent is a fighter who many believe is the heir apparent to the crown at 175 years old, and Benavidez picked the wrong man to pay his way to a giant, life-changing payday.
Beterbiev payday
If David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) loses this fight to Morel, he can say goodbye to $10 million+ payday He could have a fight with undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in 2025. That big-money fight will go to Morel, who will have the last laugh. Benavidez will have to get back to the top, and there's no guarantee he can.
Next time around, he'll have to beat a young, top-level contender for an interim title at 175. It won't be easy for him this time, as the 37-year-old Benavidez fights. Oleksandr Gvozdyk To line up the interim WBC belt in first place to contest the undisputed championship against the winner of Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2.
The World Boxing Council received a lot of criticism for approving a fight between Benavidez and Gvozdyk for their interim title at 175. This was Benavidez's first fight at light heavyweight, and he fought a man who had recently come out of a four-year retirement.
In fairness, Benavidez should have worked his way into position to fight for the interim WBC 175-pound title, and his opponent should have been one of the top contenders, like Joshua Buatsi.
Yesterday's media training brawl, where Morell came close to beating Benavidez for the WBA belt, is an interesting one. It was a sign of what was in store for him when he joined forces with Morell and exited their fight on February 1, live on PBC on Prime Video PPV at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
50-50 battle
This is by far the best fighter Benavidez will fight in his 11-year career, and the only one in which he faces someone with a 50-50 shot at striking. So far, Benavidez has done as much in terms of emphatic wins as he has had no concerns about losing.
Things have been tilted in his favor from day one, as he has been fighting a weight class below his massive weight and weight frame and fighting middle-of-the-road weak opposition.
Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) didn't need to take this high-stakes fight against Cuban talent Morell (11-0, 9 KOs), who outclasses him in every department. 'The Mexican Monster' will likely be chosen to fight the winner of the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 without fighting this risky battle against Morrell.
The courage that led to Benavidez deciding to take this gamble was the result of his victories over younger, older and hapless 168-year-old fighters.
