Boxer David Benavidez shadowboxes as he works out at Pound 4 Pound Fitness center on January 09, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Benavidez is scheduled to fulfill WBA gentle heavyweight champion David Morrell Jr. in a bout at T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas on February 01. Ethan Miller/Getty Pictures/AFP
LAS VEGAS — There’s a heightened quantity of supposed dislike between David Benavidez and David Morrell Jr. that’s paying homage to the Gervonta “Tank” Davis-Ryan Garcia disagreement that dominated their showdown practically two years in the past.
Then, after Davis knocked out Garcia within the seventh spherical, they abruptly have been greatest buddies.
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So how a lot is actual within the buildup to Saturday’s struggle — and Benavidez hinted there’s hype concerned — is unknown. However what is understood is that this bout between undefeated gentle heavyweight champions is one many boxing followers have anticipated for a number of months.
READ: David Benavidez outpoints Oleksandr Gvozdyk for interim WBC belt
“That is what boxing actually wants,” stated Morrell’s coach, Ronnie Shields. “That is what boxing is all about — the perfect combating the perfect.”
Benavidez (29-0, 24 knockouts) will put his interim WBC title on the road in opposition to Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) and his WBA belt.
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Talking of belts, Morrell threw his at Benavidez at an occasion final month in Miami. Benavidez accused Morrell of “making an attempt to get out of the struggle,” which Morrell denied.
“Why would I wish to cancel the struggle if I fought for this struggle to be right here?” Morrell stated.
Benavidez, who’s from Phoenix and lives in Las Vegas, probably will attempt to overwhelm Morrell early. The 28-year-old has proven the flexibility to go the space, if crucial, successful two of his three most up-to-date fights by unanimous determination.
READ: David Benavidez desires Canelo Alvarez subsequent after dominant win
The Cuba-born Morrell, who lives in Minneapolis, has been a dominant boxer since turning professional in 2019. Even the 2 fights that reached the judges’ playing cards have been one-sided within the 27-year-old’s favor. That features his most up-to-date out, a 117-111, 118-110, 117-117 victory over Radivoje Kalajdzic on Aug. 3 to win the championship.
That win put him in line for Benavidez, and Morrell promised an much more emphatic end result.
“I’m 100% knocking out David Benavidez,” Morrell stated via an interpreter.
David Morrell, Jr. within the white and multi-color trunks celebrates after defeating Yamaguchi Falcao within the black and gold trunks by knockout within the first spherical throughout their tremendous middleweight world championship bout at T-Cell Enviornment on April 22, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Al Bello/Getty Pictures/AFP
Each fighters traded verbal jabs at Thursday’s information convention and even stood up at one level to problem one another earlier than others stepped in.
Benavidez went on an expletive-filled tirade early of their a part of the information convention, wanting down at and pointing on the seated Morrell.
“I’m going to beat the (stuff) out of you and I hope you don’t have any (freaking) excuses since you look scared as (stuff) proper now,” Benavidez stated. “You possibly can smile and do all of the (stuff) you need, however if you step into the ring this Saturday, that’s ‘El Monstro’s’ world and also you’re going to see precisely what the (stuff) I’m manufactured from.”
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Morrell stated he wasn’t involved about going up in opposition to Benavidez, a -225 favourite at BetMGM Sportsbook.
“Everybody he has confronted to this point has been both getting ready to retirement or has needed to come up or come down in weight,” Morrell stated. “I wish to finish that fable that he’s a monster.”
Related phrases have been exchanged between Davis and Garcia till the struggle ended. Then nothing however respect.
“I do know we talked plenty of trash main into the struggle, however (Davis) is aware of what it’s,” Garcia stated after their match. “It’s all love on the finish of the day. I used to be honored to be within the ring with an awesome fighter and I respect him quite a bit.”
Perhaps any unhealthy emotions between Benavidez and Morrell will likely be put apart after the ultimate bell this weekend.
“It’s simply the hype of the struggle,” Benavidez acknowledged. “He goes at me, I’m going at him. On the finish of the day, we’re each going to get within the ring and I’m going to point out him precisely who I’m this Saturday.”
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WBC featherweight champion Brandon Figueroa (25-1-1) will face former unified champion Stephen Fulton Jr. (22-1) within the co-main occasion. Fulton beat Figueroa by majority determination on Nov. 27, 2021.
