David Benavidez posted on social media in the present day that he’s combating Jesse Hart subsequent somewhat than WBA ‘common’ gentle heavyweight champion David Morrell. Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) says Morrell is a “future opponent” for him.
That’s an enormous letdown for followers, who had hoped that the 11-year professional Benavidez would take a step up in competitors by dealing with Morrell somewhat than one other ham & egger like he’s been doing for many of his profession.
The 35-year-old Hart (31-3, 25 KOs) is ranked #3 WBO and #14 WBC at 175. So, Benavidez could be defending his WBA interim gentle heavyweight title in opposition to a contender within the World Boxing Council’s rankings.
“I will likely be combating Jesse Hart subsequent, not Morrell, however [he] is a future opponent,” stated David Benavidez on social media.
It’s not an enormous shock that Benavidez is swerving a combat in opposition to the harmful puncher David Morrell as a result of he’s the WBC necessary to IBF/WBC/WBO 175-lb champion Artur Beterbiev, who’s dealing with WBA champ Dmitry Bivol on October twelfth for the undisputed championship in Riyadh.
Benavidez has a assured title shot in opposition to the Beterbiev-Bivol winner in some unspecified time in the future, and there’s some huge cash for him to scoop up. We’re speaking hundreds of thousands Benavidez will get by combating the winner in one of many Riyadh Season occasions. If Benavidez have been to combat the Cuban expertise David Morrell, he’d be placing that giant payday in danger.
If Benavidez have been to lose to Morrell, he may say bye-bye to the undisputed combat in opposition to Beterbiev or Bivol. As an alternative, it will be Morrell who could be the one getting all that money, whereas Benavidez could be left choosing up the items of his profession.
This information has upset many followers, who view it as one other instance of Benavidez ducking the proficient Cuban Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs), who has been calling him out for 2 years with no success.
Benavidez is receiving an amazing backlash from indignant followers on X, who’re lighting into the fighter nicknamed ‘The Meixcan Monster’ by Mike Tyson, however who has but to beat anybody really to earn that monicker.
Slightly than combating Morrell, Benavidez has been padding his document in opposition to the likes of Demetrius Andrade, David Lemieux, Caleb Plant, Kyrone Davis, and Oleksandr Gvozyk.
The grizzled veteran Jesse Hart is thought for his two losses to Gilberto Ramirez, and Joe Smith Jr. Hart’s greatest profession win got here in opposition to journeyman Demond Nicholson. Apart from him, Hart’s resume is empty of high quality victories.
Hart has received his final 5 fights in opposition to little-known non-contenders since dropping to Joe Smith Jr. in 2020. It’s unclear why he’s been given #3 rating by the WBO, however I suppose they’ve their causes.
