Chris Algieri believes WBA ‘regular’ super middleweight champion David Morrell Jr. can beat Canelo Alvarez right now, and he understands why he’s being avoided by the top dogs at 168.
It’s likely that Morrell will continue to be avoided and relegated to fighting unknown opposition until well after Canelo retires from the sport. He’ll have to become a star by beating no-name opposition for many years.
Canelo obviously isn’t going to entertain a fight against Morrell at this point in his career, given that he’s not well-known and highly dangerous, and it would be a no-win situation for him.
Losing to Morrell would be disastrous for the Mexican superstar’s career, and it would be difficult for him to come back from that. Even if Canelo beats Morrell, he won’t be given credit because he’s an unknown.
Algieri was in awe of Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs) after watching him dismantle Sena Agbeko in a second round knockout on Showtime’s final boxing broadcast on December 16th in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Jose Benavidez Sr. wants Morrell to qualify
Morrell has been trying to earn a fight with Canelo by challenging David Benavidez to face him in the ring, but the ‘Mexican Monster’ and his dad, Jose Benavidez Sr., have shown no interest in facing him for obvious reasons. He clearly sees the threat that Morrell poses for Benavidez, and wants to keep him as far away as possible.
Morrell’s manager, Luis Decubas, says Benavidez doesn’t want the fight, and he sees it as a fear thing. Jose Sr. recently suggested that Morrell fight Benavidez’s leftovers, Caleb Plant, which is ridiculous.
The 25-year-old Morrell, who had a standout amateur career in Cuba, has been fast-tracked to the top in the pro ranks, capturing his WBA world title after only four fights.
Algieri: Morrell beats Canelo
“David Morrell, that is a bad [man]. He can fight, and I’ve been saying that for a while,” said Chris Algieri to ProBox TV. “He’s tall, he’s long, he’s got boxing skills, he’s got power, he’s got a finishing instinct.
“He’s a very tough guy to deal with, and I think people are going to avoid him as much as much as possible,” Algieri continued about Morrell. “He’s the definition of high risk, low reward, because he’s not that well known, he doesn’t have many fights.”
Algieri is correct. There’s little incentive for the top 168-lb fighters like Canelo Alvarez, David Benavidez, Jermall Charlo or Caleb Plant to fight Morrell. They probably won’t fight him.
While Jose Sr. wants Morrell to fight Anthony Dirrell, Plant, and Demetrius Andrade to qualify for a fight against his son, Benavidez or Canelo, it’s not realistic that any of those fighters will agree to fight him.
Unfortunately, by the time any of those guys do agree to face him, they’ll be washed up and have nothing to offer him. In a few years, Morrell won’t get credit if he beats Plant, Andrade, or Dirrell. At that point, Morrell would be doing them a favor by giving them a payday.
“You would be giving him a platform, one of those guys above him. Listen, he could knock off anyone. He could beat Canelo. I could see that,” said Chris Algieri about David Morrell. “He has the ability, the skill, and the size. I think he could beat anyone in the division.
“I’m not saying he will. I’d like to see him against those top guys, but he is super talented and a very, very dangerous guy. I like what I see from him. He does what he’s supposed to do. We talked about that earlier.
You got a guy that doesn’t belong with you. You don’t get overpaid in boxing, and Morrell didn’t take his time in that fight. He got him out of there,” said Algieri, talking about Morrell’s second round knockout victory over Sena Agbeko on December 16th in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“He [Agbeko] was a solid guy. He wasn’t a pushover, but it was a guy that he should definitely beat. But the way that he [Morrell] destroyed him,” said Algieri.
It’s too bad that Showtime couldn’t have insisted on Morrell fighting a better opponent for their final boxing broadcast, but it likely wasn’t an option. No one wants to fight Morrell, so Agbeko was as good as it gets.
“He left him in a heap on the ropes. It was very, very impressive. David Morrell is a bad dude, and I would love to see him with all those other guys, but I don’t see that anytime soon, people taking that risk. There’s no one raising their hand to fight a guy like David Morrell,” said Algieri.
Benavidez Sr. throws cold water
“I think David Morrell is a good fighter, but I think they should put him with guys that are known that are going to take him to deep waters and see what he does,” said Jose Benavidez Sr. to Fighthype, steering the Cuban talent David Morrell away from his son, ‘The Mexican Monster,’ David Benavidez.
Jose Sr. makes it clear that he’s unwilling to let Benavidez face the young lion, Morrell, and have his Canelo dream dashed with a potential defeat.
Benavidez has been trying to get that payday against Canelo for years, but he’s not been given the opportunity. If he fights Morrell, that could be the end for ‘The Mexican Monster,’ and his dad, Jose Sr., seems to know that.
“He should fight Caleb Plant, Anthony Dirrell, or even a Boo Boo Andrade. That’s the only way he’s going to get qualified to see,” said Benavidez Sr., making it clear that he doesn’t want Morrell to fight his son.
Morrell would jump at the chance of fighting any of those above fighters, but why would they agree to face him? Of course, if the Saudis were interested in seeing Morrell fight Plant, Dirrell, or Andrade, those fights could happen, but why would they?
If they choose anyone to face Morrell, it would be Benavidez or Canelo, and those two might drag their feet, no matter how much money was offered to them.
