David Benavidez is already planning his technique for defeating the winner of the February twenty second rematch between undisputed gentle heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) says he’ll use a distinct recreation plan for every of them and can field Beterbiev (21-0, 21 KOs) and apply strain towards Bivol.
Morrell Then Glory
It’s nonetheless too early for Benavidez to think about going through the winner of that struggle as a result of he nonetheless should defeat WBA ‘common’ gentle heavyweight champion David Morrell on February 1st. That’s a 50-50 struggle in most individuals’s minds, however not in Benavidez.
He’s ultra-confident that he’ll don’t have any issues beating Morrell, so he lastly agrees to the struggle after watching the Cuban labor towards Radivoje Kalajdzic on August third.
Few individuals give Benavidez any probability of beating Bivol or Beterbiev, nevertheless it’s not stunning that he believes he can beat them. That’s his persona. Like many fighters who’ve been matched rigorously, Benavidez thinks he can defeat anybody, which can be his undoing when he goes up towards Morrell.
His matchmakers at PBC have stored Benavidez well-protected, and he’s been combating in a division beneath his body dimension up till his final struggle. That’s helped him.
“My most important goal is to place a beating on David Morrell after which go up and face whoever is subsequent,” stated David Benavidez to Sean Zittel about his fast objective for February 1st. I believe we have been ranked #1 [with the WBC] within the spot to struggle the winner of Beterbiev-Bivol. So, if that’s what it’s, I’m 100% prepared for that as properly.
“With these large fights, I’m capable of construct my model increasingly more. It’s form of like Canelo’s profession. He went up and was beating greater [named] fighters. If I don’t get that Canelo struggle, I actually don’t care. I’m actually pleased with my profession and pleased with the alternatives I’m getting. Now, it’s simply proving I’m the most effective on the earth it doesn’t matter what weight class.
“I simply really feel dangerous for the individuals as a result of the individuals are lacking an superior struggle,” stated Benavidez, nonetheless harping concerning the Canelo struggle. “That’s what we’re right here for, to provide the individuals good fights.”
Benavidez ought to have forgotten about Canelo years in the past as a result of he made it clear to everybody that he would by no means get the chance. If Benavidez had given up a very long time in the past, he might have moved to gentle heavyweight or cruiserweight and presumably received a world title by now.
Field Beterbiev, Stress Bivol
“They’re the iron champions on the weight class,” stated Benavidez about Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. “Beterbiev is the robust, coming in. He’s like a tank making an attempt to knock you out, however there’s room for him to be outboxed. Actually, I assumed Bivol beat him. I assumed Bivol beat him and I assumed Bivol beat him convincingly. That’s how one can beat that fighter.”
Benavidez isn’t knowledgeable choose, so his opinion about Bivol deserving the victory over Beterbiev of their October twelfth conflict is meaningless. Nevertheless, he stated earlier than their struggle that he thought Bivol was going to win, so he already had a bias. Beterbiev received below strain, and the judges have already made their name.
Bivol is the most effective boxer within the 175-lb division, however he did not outbox Beterbiev. If Bivol couldn’t do it, a quantity puncher like Benavidez received’t both. He’s not an important boxer, and he’s not going to have the ability to change the best way he fights after 11 years within the professional recreation. Benavidez is the completed product. If he does get a struggle towards Beterbiev, he’ll use the identical high-output model he all the time has, and that will be a catastrophe for him. He could be one other Callum Smith however with out the ability.
“With Bivol, you must strain him extra and throw far more combos,” stated Benavidez. “You may’t simply throw left hooks and proper hooks. You must be actually clever together with your combos. So, each of them, you must struggle two alternative ways, however whoever we struggle, we’ve to be 100% prepared. I’d positively be prepared, and it will be a tremendous struggle with each of these guys.”
Benavidez has sparred with Bivol earlier than, and it was rumored that he had gotten the higher of him. Nevertheless, if that have been true, it will be sparring, not a struggle. Bivol could be an issue for Benavidez in an actual struggle, the place he wouldn’t be practising like he was through the sparring classes.
Why Morrell Now?
“That’s why I took this struggle [David Morrell] no downside as a result of once I was ready for that [to fight the Beterbiev vs. Bivol winner], I assumed as a result of I used to be the #1 contender [with WBC], as a result of that struggle ended the best way it did, you must give it the respect it deserves a rematch,” stated Benavidez.
It wasn’t till David Morrell regarded lower than spectacular in his final struggle towards Radivoje Kalajdzic on August third that Benavidez wished to struggle him. Earlier than that struggle, Benavidez and his dad, Jose Benavidez Sr., wished nothing to do with Morrell. They doubtless noticed his weaknesses and determined, ‘I believe he’s good.’
“So, they have been giving me just a few different names, and I’m like, ‘Man, I’m not desirous about any of these fights. I would like the large fights, and if we are able to’t get anybody large, we’re going to make an enormous struggle out of an individual that has a belt that talks plenty of s***,’” stated Benavidez about why he selected to struggle Morrell.
The timing of Benavidez’s determination to struggle Morrell is suspicious. It comes instantly after his first unimpressive efficiency in his five-year profession. Benavidez didn’t increase his hand to struggle Morrell when he was destroying Sena Agbeko or Yamaguchi Falcao.
“So, that’s form of the route we went. This can be a struggle that individuals have wished to observe for a very long time. So, I really feel that is the most effective time to make the struggle between me and Morrell occur. It’s simply in my mentality that I’m able to struggle the most effective. I don’t care who it’s. I’m 100% able to struggle whoever it’s, no,” stated Benavidez.

