By Dan Ambrose: David Benavidez says WBA ‘regular’ super middleweight champion David Morrell Jr. is the biggest threat to the undisputed 168-lb championship besides himself.
Canelo holds the undisputed super middleweight championship that Morrell (9-0, 8 KOs) and Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) are both gunning for.
‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez says he’d like to face the 25-year-old Cuban Morrell, but it’s questionable whether be at 168 long enough for the fight to happen.
Benavidez seemed to like to get hit, and he’s got a forehead like a drive-in movie screen. He’s made to be hit, and Morrell will have a field day hammering Benavidez at will with power shots, and he surrenders and says, ‘Uncle.’
If Morrell does battle Benavidez in the next year, he’s going to have to change his style of fighting because it’s not going to work for him to load up on single shots.
He’s barely making weight for the division as it is, and unless he intends on facing Morrell Jr. in his next couple of fights, he’ll miss weight again and finally be forced to move up to 175.
Benavidez will likely continue to steer clear of the dangerous Morrell until after he gets the long-awaited fight with Canelo. He won’t put that fight at risk by facing Morrell and possibly losing.
Next month, Benavidez is putting his WBC mandatory spot on the line against Demetrius Andrade on November 25th on Showtime PPV at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
“David Morrell,” said Benavidez to Brian Custer’s Youtube channel when asked who is a threat to the undisputed super middleweight championship, “not named Benavidez.”
To defeat Benavidez, Morrell will need to fight on the outside like Caleb Plant did in the early going or focus on speedy, high-volume punching. Morrell has never been a guy who throws a lot of punches, so he’ll need to fight on the outside.
None of this will matter if Benavidez loses to Andrade on November 25th or if he can no longer make the 168-lb limit. Last March, Benavidez looked so drained that he weigh-in that resembled an old grandfather.
He took so much weight off that he didn’t look like himself. If there was any doubt whether Benavidez’s days were numbered at super middleweight, it was answered there.
Brian Custer: “Do you believe your world title will come at 168 or 175?”
David Benavidez: “Both. 168 & 175.”
It’s safe to say that Benavidez won’t win a world title at 175 as long as Dmitry Bivol & Artur Beterbiev are still around holding belts. Once they retire, Benavidez will be able to slide in and capture one or more of the titles. That division is dead & barren of quality.
Custer: “Who do you believe pound-for-pound is the best fighter in the world right now?”
Benavidez: “I got to give my top three. [Naoya] Inoue, Terence Crawford and [Oleksandr] Usyk.”
Custer: “Were you surprised with Crawford’s performance against Errol Spence?”
Benavidez: “I was surprised. It was a great fight. I know both men. So, it was a great fight, but it was a great performance from Crawford.”
Custer: “Who is your favorite fighter? Who is the guy David Benavidez? People always say, ‘I love David Benavidez.’
Benavidez: “Now?”
Custer: “When you watch, you say, ‘I got to watch this guy fight.’
Benavidez: “I like watching everybody fight. Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis, Boots Ennis, Rolly, Usyk, everybody. I’m a fan of boxing. I love watching everybody.”
Custer: “Last but not least. The biggest fight for Benavidez at 168 not named Canelo Alvarez.”
Benavidez: “The biggest fight with me at 168? There are two of them. Jaime Munguia and David Morrell.”
Custer: “One thing I like about talking to you. David Benavidez is always going to tell the truth.”
Benavidez: “I feel we got to give the respect to boxing, and when you ask questions, I have to answer 100% honestly. I kind of let ego and character get that out of the way. When we talk boxing, I want the fans to really know what I’m talking about with me being really honest.”
Custer: “We’ll wrap it up with this. When you go to sleep at night, do you think this fight [against Demetrius Andrade] ends in stoppage or it goes the distance?”
Benavidez: “I want this fight to end in a stoppage. It will end in a stoppage. I’m going to go out there and stop Demetrius Andrade. Like I said. I’m going to go out there and do what I do. They call me the ‘Mexican Monster’ for a reason.”
