David Benavidez must be compelled to face WBA ‘common’ gentle heavyweight champion David Morrell subsequent, with the winner to problem whoever emerges from the undisputed 175-lb championship match between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol from their October twelfth contest in Riyadh.
Ideally, Benavidez ought to face Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) subsequent, and the winner challenges the Bivol-Beterbiev winner for the grand prize of the 4 belts. Benavidez is not going to willingly put his now-guaranteed title shot in danger by combating the proficient Cuban David Morrell and probably dropping the combat.
Turki Alalshikh: The Key Persuader
Benavidez will get a ton of cash combating for the undisputed gentle heavyweight championship in opposition to Artur Beterbiev or Bivol. Nonetheless, if His Excellency Turki Alalshikh had been to persuade Benavidez that it could be in his finest curiosity to face Morrell first, he would do it.
Solely Turki can persuade Benavidez to combat Morrell as a result of there’s no likelihood he would volunteer to battle him in a semi-final elimination match. He wouldn’t do this if there have been a mountain of cash he might get combating the winner of the Beterbiev-Bivol combat.
The WBC made it too straightforward for Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) to line himself as much as face the Bivol-Beterbiev winner by sanctioning his final combat in opposition to 37-year-old previous his finest Oleksandr Usyk to be for the 175-lb interim title earlier this yr on June fifteenth in Las Vegas.
That ought to not have been for the interim WBC gentle heavyweight title, provided that Benavidez was making his debut at 175 and was combating an older fighter, Gvozdyk, who had solely just lately emerged from a four-year retirement, being out of the game from 2019 to 2023.
Benavidez’s Lackluster Efficiency
The ‘Mexican Monster’ Benavidez appeared plain terrible in opposition to Gvozdyk, working out of gasoline after six rounds and taking heavy pictures from rounds seven by way of twelve in a combat final June that many boxing followers felt ought to have been scored a twelve-round draw on the MGM Grand Backyard Area in Las Vegas. The Nevada judges gave Benavidez a large determination, however the followers noticed what occurred. Benavidez appeared horrible and was fought to a standstill by Gvozdyk.
That efficiency by Benavidez wasn’t adequate for him to go to the following stage to problem for the undisputed championship in opposition to Beterbiev or Bivol. The best way Benavidez fought, he’d lose to at the very least six contenders within the 175-lb division and can be no match for the winner or loser of the Beterbiev vs. Bivol combat.
