Benavidez Says A Deal With Morrell Is Done

David Benavidez says a deal has been made to fight David Morrell Jr. at 175 pounds, with reports it will happen in Las Vegas on January 25.
The pair have been linked with the fight for some time during the days at 168 pounds. They moved up to light heavyweight after they struggled to get the Canelo Alvarez fight. Benavidez had his first fight at 175 pounds when he boxed Oleksandr Gvozdyk, beating him by a unanimous decision in his last fight. The victory made him mandatory for the winner of Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Those two will fight for the Undisputed Light Heavyweight Championship this weekend.
Morrell also had his first fight at 175 pounds. He defeated Radivoje Kalajdzic in his last bout to make him the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight Champion. The Cuban is 11-0, with nine knockouts, making him one of the most destructive punchers in the sport. Both boxers have accused each other of ducking throughout the years. Benavidez initially confirmed that talks with Morrell were underway.
Benavidez Vs. Morrell
However, he then backtracked on those comments to state that he was going to be fighting Jesse Hart next. Reports indicated that Benavidez would appear on a Gervonta Davis card, just like he had done earlier in the year. But that has now been put to bed with Benavidez confirming that a deal is done subject to an official announcement.
“There were a lot of names on the table, but I wanted to give my fans the best fight possible. I reached out to David Morrell and his team to make this happen, and we got the contract done. This fight really gonna be a banger!!! 2 of the best in the division and two titles on the line,” Benavidez said
The fight is very risky for Benavidez for the following reasons. He is already in an interim position, meaning there is no need to take such a risk. He missed out on fighting for undisputed at 168 pounds. After having been the WBC interim champion for more than two years, the WBC did not call the mandatory nor strip Canelo. Canelo then priced himself out of the fight by demanding $200 million to make it happen. The Saudis were unwilling to put up those numbers, whilst the numbers were also unfeasible in the United States.
Is It A Risk?
Benavidez would then move up to target an undisputed light heavyweight title. A defeat means that he will miss out on a lucrative bout next year, which could take place on Cinco de Mayo. The Mexican Monster also puts his undefeated record on the line. He is 29-0, with 24 knockouts. While it is important that he stays active in the weight class, facing Morrell is questionable. The latter is not a seasoned 175-pounder, despite him having a massive frame.
If Benavidez wants to beat the best in Bivol and Beterbiev, his chances would be better if he faced the other 175-pounders in the division. He could easily take on fights against Anthony Yarde or Callum Smith. Although he faced Gvozdyk, the Ukrainian was at the latter end of his career since he was 37. But Benavidez has shown that he is chasing the big fights, and few are bigger than Morrell.
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