Unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez will face Edgar Berlanga on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, while David Benavidez has decided to stay at 175 pounds. That sounds good to Cuba's David Morrell.
Benavidez vs. Morrell was a fight that was talked about for a long time, as both worked in the super middleweight division. Three weeks ago, Morrell's representatives, through Luis DeCubas, announced that the Cuban player will continue his career at 175 pounds.
Benavidez's relentless pursuit finally came to an end. Benavidez chose to gain weight and continue his career, targeting big fights at 175lbs, because Canelo didn't want to give him a chance to fight that fight.
Now, the picture seems clearer. Canelo will face Berlanga for 168 titles, while Benavidez remains the mandatory challenger in the fight between WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and IBF/WBC/WBO champion Artur Beterbiev on October 12. He may face Benavidez in 2025.
David Morrell debuted at 175 on August 3 against Radivoje 'Hot Rod' Kalajdzic on the undercard of Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov at the Riyadh Season event at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Serbian Kalajdzic, ranked 4th in the WBA, knocked out veteran Sullivan Barrera in the 10th round last March.
Benavidez made his debut at 175, winning a 12-round unanimous decision on June 15 against former WBC light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk. The WBC interim title and a mandatory spot were at stake in that fight.
Benavidez is now the interim WBC champion and is the mandatory for the October 12 fight between Bivol and Beterbiev. However, it is unclear whether Benavidez will take another fight at super middleweight before exercising his right to face the winner of the 175-lb championship between Beterbiev and Bivol.
David Morrell is the youngest boxer ever, he is 26 years old at 175 pounds with few fights, 10-0- (9 KO). After seeing all these years happening these days, he will be the most successful. Beterbiev, 39, appears to have several fights left, while Bivol, 33, must avoid Artur's powerful shots on October 12 to win.
Even if Benavidez, 27, decides to exercise his right to fight for the title as a mandatory player against the winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev bout, it all ultimately benefits Morrell. For David Morrell to prove himself as a serious fighter in the light-heavyweight division in the near future, he needs to keep winning and moving up the ranks.
Source link
