The WBC has confirmed that the winner of next month’s fight between David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) and David Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) will be the “mandatory challenger” for the winner of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 .
VBC Mandate
If Biwall wins the rematch with the undisputed light heavyweight champion Beterbee, there is a possibility that they will fight next in the trilogy. That means the winner of Benavidez-Morel has to wait until the third Beterbiev-Bivol fight before he gets the four belts.
It will depend on what Turki Al-Sheikh wants to do. If he wants to see a third fight between Beterbiev and Bivolj immediately, that will happen.
“Undisputed champion Artur Beterbiyev will fight in a rematch with Dmitry Bivola on February 22 in Riyadh. Interim champion David Benavidez will fight David Morrell on February 1st. The winner will be the division’s mandatory challenger against the winner of Beterbiev vs. Buffalo,” by VBC.
Power at 175?
“I hope it will happen.” I don’t think that’s going to happen, no,” David Benavides told PPV channel about his hopes of being able to 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 fight, we can make it happen. Everyone knows it’s the biggest fight in boxing. So I’m ready for whenever that time comes.
It’s the same reason I fought (David Morrell). I was already preparing in my head for a tough fight, I think there is no better experience than going against these tough fighters. This will prepare me for whatever comes next.
“I want to be one of the most dangerous fighters in boxing.” I want to be one of those fighters you remember, like (Gennady) Golovkin and Julio Cesar Chavez. Those are the type of fighters I want to be. I don’t give up on anyone. I’m not afraid of anyone and this is the way I can prove it,” said Benavidez.
Benavidez will never be in the league of Gennady Golovkin or Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. because he lacks power. Morel is more of a fighter on Golovkin’s level than Benavides. The ‘Mexican Monster’ is a big shot and won’t become a power guy at 175. At 28, he won’t suddenly find a power that never existed.
Every fighter wants to be blessed with Betterby-level power, but these are special people who only come along occasionally. Benavidez is still a good guy for basic amounts and can live well, even if he gets knocked out by big puncher Morrell on February 1st. You have to be born with the genetics for power, and Benavidez was not blessed in that department.
Underrated skills
“I feel like I have different aspects of my game that are underrated.” IK is one of them. Defense is another one of them. The third is my power. Guys, I don’t know what’s wrong with them. They think that just because I like to eat and I’m a little fluffy in the off-season, I don’t have the strength.
“Everything changes when they get in the ring with me.” So I think everything I do is understated. “I don’t think I’m a good fighter until they get in the ring with me and they see, ‘Oh, this guy is a problem,'” Benavidez said.
Unfortunately, he doesn’t give examples of fighters who didn’t think he was good until they got in the ring with him. Benavides’ resume is thin, and he has never fought a high-level fighter in his 12-year pro career. So when he talks about fighters saying, ‘This guy’s a problem,’ that’s saying nothing because he’s faced B—and C-level opposition throughout his career.
Benavides’ best wins:
– Oleksandr Gvozdik: 37 years old and recently retired for 4 years
– Dimitrije Andrade: 36
– Caleb Plant: lost to Canelo by knockout
– Anthony Dirrell: 38
– David Lemieux: Journeyman
– Roamer Alexis Angulo: Ditto
– Ronald Ellis
– Ronald Gavril
These are Benavidez’s best wins, and there isn’t anyone out there that you can say is a good enough fighter to make a big deal out of him. He hypes himself up as elite, but who has he beaten to prove it? Benavidez waited three years to fight Morel after being called up in 2022 and you have to wonder why. He didn’t want to lose to the Cuban.
