Though the merits of pay-per-view in certain circumstances are understood, it’s still a great shame when paywalls create a significant divide between boxing and the growth of the sport. The latest case in point might occur on Saturday night when David Benavidez and David Morrell, both enormously appreciated by those in the know but not yet true crossover stars, collide in a sumptuous light heavyweight encounter.
This 12-rounder at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas should be the kind of bout to draw new fans – and lots of them – rather than merely tempting existing ones to hand over their hard-earned to watch. Say Benavidez vs. Morrell to anyone who doesn’t follow boxing and they won’t have a clue what you’re talking about – which surely contradicts what the pay-per-view model was originally designed for.
Benavidez vs. Morrell, though a sublime bit of matchmaking, does not involve a reigning, genuine world champion nor does it contain the leading contender at 175. It is a mighty fine semi-final, of course, but for the sport to grow, flourish, and truly exist outside of the social media feeds of boxing fans, these are the kind of fights we should be inviting the entire world to witness.
Three weeks before the indisputable leaders at 175, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, again try to resolve who is the best, Benavidez and Morrell put their secondary sanctioning body straps on the line in a contest that will, for many observers, decide the third best light heavyweight on the planet.
None of that means Benavidez vs. Morrell won’t be value for money for those who know what they’re paying Amazon Prime and PPV.com for, however; it promises to be a belter.
The rapid-fire Benavidez, 29-0 (24 KOs), did all he could to snare a shot at super middleweight boss Saul “Canelo” Alvarez when he trounced quality like Anthony Dirrell, David Lemieux, Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade before accepting the futility of his chase and moving up a division instead. Most recently, in June, he outpointed the underrated Oleksandr Gvozdyk to enter the light heavyweight ranks.
The road travelled by Morrell, one year younger than Benavidez at 27, is similar but the obstacles in his way, from a boxing standpoint, have been easier to negotiate. Though he picked up a world belt of sorts in only his third professional outing, the diluted nature of that championship means he’s yet to face anyone approaching the level of Benavidez or even that of Benavidez’s leading opponents.
The Cuban’s potential has been abundantly clear during his 11-0 (9 KOs) career – and the 130 or so bouts that came in the vest – but there remains mystery regarding how good he really is. In a sense, with Canelo and Benavidez essentially clearing out the 168 division between them, Morrell’s rise through the ranks almost came by default; though wins over fighters like Mario Cazares, Alantez Fox, Adios Yerbossynuly and Yamaguchi Falcao are to be admired, attempting to pinpoint a truly elite opponent on Morrell’s record is nonetheless a fruitless task.
Most recently, as he too opted to rise to 175, Morrell decisioned Radivoje Kalajdzic – better known as “Hot Rod” – over 12 difficult rounds in August but, like Benavidez outhustling Gvozdyk, his performance was met with mixed reviews. Therefore, though we know that the styles of Benavidez and Morrell should make for excitement, both have plenty to prove in their new landscape. In truth, there are other contenders – like Joshua Buatsi, for example – who can claim to be higher up the light heavyweight ladder than both.
How much of a threat Benavidez and Morrell might turn out to be in the future should be a secondary concern for now, though. All that matters to both is this moment and this fight. Should anyone be unconvinced by that, the opening 30 seconds of Gloves Off: Benavidez Vs Morrell should change your mind. The animosity between them positively oozes from the screen, and, unlike other fight promos which try a little too hard to manifest a grudge between the protagonists, it all appears completely genuine and not even slightly forced.
“I don’t think we’ve ever done a face off like this before, it’s good, I’m excited,” an obviously agitated Benavidez says when he’s told he’s about to go nose-to-nose with Morrell for the first time. Benavidez then approaches Morrell with a smile, only to be told he is going to be knocked out. “I’m gonna break your fucking mouth,” Benavidez responds, edging closer, repeating the threat, itching to prove it. The two are separated. Benavidez, taking his time to leave the scene, then shouts, “You think you’re scary? Who the fuck do you think you are?” Morrell, with hackles standing to attention, instructs Benavidez to “shut the fuck up”.
The spite has only heightened as the fight has drawn close, with the enemies so irate that those crude f-bombs readily fall. Such exchanges only occur when there is fear at play. Though both will tell you they’re going to win, fighters are always acutely aware of the possibility of the opposite; notably when faced with an opponent deemed to be their most formidable test to date.
Benavidez, trained by his father Jose Benavidez Snr, will start as favorite for good reason. An excellent judge of timing and distance, he can bang with purpose and ramp up the haste in his mitts to such levels that his opponents simply can’t keep him off. Furthermore, though he’s known for that high tempo, he only puts his pedal to the metal when the time is right to do so; he exhibits patience when on the attack to such an extent that when he suddenly decides to let rip, the bullets that follow can come as quite the surprise. It’s that dizzying blend of intelligence, power, and speed that makes him so difficult to beat.
Morrell is quick, slick too, and perhaps a little more methodical in his approach. His trainer, the esteemed Ronnie Shields, believes he’s in the company of a boxer destined for the Hall of Fame and it’s easy to understand why. The Cuban can be described as a hunter, one who likes to establish control with his 78ins wingspan (3ins longer than Benavidez) and bustle inside, pressing behind a high guard until he’s at a distance where he’s at his most effective.
The underdog is the more educated when one considers their contrasting amateur backgrounds, but Benavidez is the proven force in the pro ranks. To make a dent in Benavidez, whose defense instinctively swirls into action and clamps to his face and body when rivals attack, Morrell will need to find a way through the middle – which is exactly where the favorite likes his opponents to be. And for a fighter often accused of carrying too much weight, the “Mexican Monster’s” stamina, though he faded against Gvozdyk, has been largely impressive.
Morrell is a live ‘dog, no question. All great fighters just need a befitting stage and opponent to prove their quality, often upsetting the odds to signal their arrival – and such a scenario might develop here. But the pick is the relentless, calculating aggression from Benavidez, in his finest performance yet, to overcome his opponent in the second half. One just hopes he gets the audience his efforts deserve.