Leonard Ellerbe says the sunshine heavyweight matchup between David Benavidez and David Morrell will “settle the rating” from their years of trash-talking once they meet in the primary occasion of their “50-50” combat on February 1st on the T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas.
(Credit score: Esther Lin and Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions)
Why Did Benavidez Keep away from Morrell?
Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) appeared agitated throughout their kickoff press convention on Tuesday, upset at his braveness being questioned by the Cuban Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) and the followers for selecting to not take this combat till nearly three years after the preliminary first callout.
It’s believed that Benavidez prevented Morrell as a result of he was afraid to lose after which spoil his probabilities of preventing Canelo Alvarez. He wished the Canelo combat however wasn’t keen to make the last word sacrifice to get it by dealing with Morrell.
After Benavidez’s final efficiency towards Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June fifteenth, he had no selection however to combat WBA ‘common’ gentle heavyweight champion Morrell as a result of he had seemed so unhealthy in his debut at 175. To get the combat for the undisputed championship, Benavidez needed to combat Morrell. It wouldn’t have labored if he’d been matched towards one other older fighter as a result of he’d been preventing these guys for many of his profession.
There was nobody that Benavidez may face that will wash away the bitter stain from his disappointing efficiency towards the 37-year-old Gvozdyk, who had out-punched and out-fought him by the complete second half of their contest.
“I count on to see two younger warriors going at it. It’s two guys of their prime which can be able to settle the rating,” stated Leonard Ellerbe to Okay.O. Artist Sports activities in regards to the February 1st combat between David Benavidez and David Morrell.
“There’s been a variety of backwards and forwards between each of these guys for fairly a while, and I believe each are excited to get in there and present who’s one of the best. They’re proper there. Everybody is aware of that with regards to the highest guys within the weight class, you bought two of the highest guys which can be on the brink of go at it on February 1,” stated Ellerbe in regards to the Morrell vs. Benavidez combat.
There hasn’t been a lot back-and-forth between Benavidez and Morrell. It’s largely been on one finish from Morrell, who has been calling out Benavdiez for 2 years however has been intent on his forlorn chase of Canelo Alvarez.
If he may learn between the strains, he would have identified that Canelo would NEVER combat him. Benavidez may have moved on and saved two years of dealing with middle-of-the-road opposition by preventing Morrell. He gained’t have to fret about that now that he’s preventing at 175 as a result of the highest fighters on this weight class don’t swerve their opponents like he did at 168.
If Morrell beats Benavidez, it’ll present many followers that they misjudged him all these years, fooled by his wins over gentle opposition in a weight class he ought to have by no means been preventing in attributable to his huge gentle heavyweight-sized body.
“I believe neither fighter needs to look forward. From the enterprise facet, the administration are wanting forward, however the fighters [Benavidez and Morrell], they each know that each of those guys have their palms full. It’s a real 50-50 combat in my view,” stated Ellerbe.
There’s no method that Benavidez and Morrell can look forward, on condition that they notice that that is the hardest combat of their careers on paper. If both of them loses, they will overlook about preventing for the undisputed gentle heavyweight championship towards the winner of the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol rematch in Saudi Arabia.
It’s a giant step up for Morrell, 26, however it’s additionally a tough one for Benavidez, too. ‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez’s greatest profession win got here just lately towards 37-year-old Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June fifteenth, and he didn’t look good. That combat confirmed that Benavidez was not going to dominate like he’d been doing at 168 towards smaller, weaker, and older fighters.
