The World Boxing Council has confirmed that the winner of next month's fight between David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) and David Morell (11-0, 9 KOs) will be the “mandatory challenger” for the winner of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 .
WBC mandate
If Bivol is victorious in his rematch with undisputed light heavyweight champion Beterbiev, there is a possibility they could have a trilogy next. This means the winner of Benavidez-Morrell will have to wait until after the third Beterbiev-Bivol fight before claiming all four belts.
It will depend on what Turki Al-Sheikh wants to do. If he wants to see a third fight between Beterbiev and Bivol right away, it will happen.
Undisputed champion Artur Beterbiev will have a rematch with Dmitry Bivol on February 22 in Riyadh. Interim champion David Benavidez will face David Morrell on February 1st. The winner will be the mandatory challenger in the division to fight the winner of the Beterbiev vs. Bivol match. WBC.
Power at 175?
“I hope it happens. I don’t think it will happen, no,” David Benavidez told PPV. channel About his hopes that he can fight Canelo Alvarez. “A lot of people ask me this question: When are you going to fight?” I don't know.
“It's up to Canelo. If he wants to make the fight, we can make it happen. Everyone knows it's the biggest fight in boxing. So, I'm ready when that time comes.
This is the same reason I fought this fight (David Morrell). I was already preparing for a tough fight in my mind, and I believe there is no better experience to be gained than facing these powerful fighters. This will make me ready for whatever comes next.
“I want to be one of the most dangerous fighters in boxing. I want to be one of those fighters that you remember, like (Gennady) Golovkin and Julio Cesar Chavez. Those are the type of fighters I want to be. I don't back down from anyone. “I'm afraid of nobody, and this is how I can prove it.”
Benavidez will never be in the league of Gennady Golovkin or Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. because he doesn't have the power. Morel is a more Golovkin-level fighter than Benavidez. The 'Mexican Monster' is a tough guy, and he's not going to be a tough guy at 175 years old. At the age of 28, he will not suddenly find strength that did not exist before.
Every fighter wants to have Beterbiev-level power, but these are special people who only come around once in a while. Benavidez is still a good starting man and could make a good living, even if he is knocked out by the big puncher Morell on February 1st. You have to be born with power genes, and Benavidez was unlucky in that regard.
Underrated skills
“I feel like I have different aspects of my game that are underappreciated. IQ is one of them. Defense is another one of them. The third is my strength. People, I don't know what it is for them. They think that just because I like to eat and get A little fluffy food out of season, I have no strength.
“That all changes when they get in the ring with me. So, I think everything I do is underappreciated. I think I'm not a good fighter until they get in the ring with me and see: 'Oh, this guy is a problem,'” Benavidez said.
Unfortunately, he doesn't give examples of fighters who didn't think he was any good until they got into the ring with him. Benavidez's resume is poor, and he has never fought any top-level fighters during his 12-year pro career. So, when he talks about fighters saying, “This guy is a problem,” he's not saying anything because he's faced B- and C-level opposition throughout his career.
Benavidez's best wins:
Oleksandr Gvozdyk: 37 years old, recently came out of retirement for 4 years
– Demetrius Andrade: 36
– Caleb Factory: Loss by knockout after Canelo
-Anthony Dirrell: 38
– David Lemieux: The Journeyman
-Wanderer Alexis Angulo: Ditto
– Ronald Ellis
-Ronald Gavriel
These are Benavidez's best wins, and there's no one you can say is a good enough fighter to generate much interest in. He promotes himself as elite, but who has he beaten to prove it? Benavidez waited three years to fight Morell after being called up in 2022, and you have to wonder why. He didn't want to lose to the Cuban.
