David Benavidez says he's going to use “everything” Cuban David Morel says about him to “fuel” his fire when they meet on February 1st in their light heavyweight headliner on PBC on Prime Video PPV at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. . .

WBA 'regular' champion Morel (11-0, 9 KOs) pointed out, saying that Benavidez has been avoiding him since 2022 and that he “fat little chicken” And the 'Mexican Monster' isn't the tough guy he tries to make fans think he is. Morel sees Benavidez as a “fake” poser and a “chicken”.

Losing control?

“When I get in the ring, I'm trying to take as much damage as possible because if I'm not getting you, they're trying to get me. So, I take it very seriously,” David told Benavidez Miami Hustle About his fight against David Morrell on February 1st.

“I feel like every fighter I get in the ring with, they're trying to take food off my plate and I'm not going to let that happen. David Morrell has been talking for a while. He tries to say that he doesn't. He is putting my name in his mouth.

“He thought I was never going to fight. So once we accepted the fight, then he tried to act like he wasn't talking and wasn't saying anything about me. I'm using what he said about me to fuel the war,” Benavidez said of Morel.

It looks like Benavidez will fight Morrell with anger and passion and put himself in position to get caught with one of Morrell's big power shots. That's Benavidez's problem. He has a hot head and a temper problem.

Maybe that's why he acted up and shoved Morel when he refused to nod during their media workout in Miami on Dec. 17. Morel could not bear the humiliation of rejecting his handshake attempt. So, he pushed her. He was lucky Morel didn't brain him with his heavy WBA 'regular' belt which he threw at him in response as it would have cut him off the ribbon if he tagged him in the head.

Fighting with fury against a quiet fighter like Morel, who has the technical skills from years of fitting into Cuba's amateur team, is a mistake.

If Benavidez fights like a wild man against Morrell, he will get knocked out. This guy has one-punch power and has competed with the two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Julio Cesar La Cruz And Osley Iglesias. These are superior fighters, and arguably better, than anyone Benvidez has had in his 12-year professional career.

“I can't say because I haven't been in the ring with him, but on paper it looks like he has everything,” Benavidez said when asked if David Morrell was his toughest opponent. “He's got reach, he's got speed, he's got footwork and he's got power. It doesn't scare me.”

No one on Benavidez's resume matches Morell's size, youth, technical ability or ability. This is easily the best fighter he has fought, and if he loses, it will prove it on February 1st. Govozdyk was a good fighter a few years ago, but when Benavidez fought him, he was 37, four years retired and a knockout loss to Artur Beterbiev. If Benavidez had fought the same version of Gvozdyk that knocked out Adonis Stevenson, he would have lost to him.

“I have been boxing for 25 years. I love it when I see a strong fighter that I'm going to get in the ring with because what gives me the most satisfaction is shutting down people who think I can't win, who think I'm going to get knocked out. I know what I can do, and that's why I took this challenge,” said Benavidez

Boxing fans have doubted Benavidez's ability to beat Morel for years. They also doubted his ability to compete in a division normal to his massive cruiserweight frame at 200 or 175.

Benavidez should have fought Morrell years ago, and moved up to light heavyweight to fight Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Furthermore, Benavidez should already be fighting Joy Opetaya at cruiserweight as he has been in shape to compete in that weight class for years. Instead of getting any of those fights, Benavidez played it safe, dropped to 168, fed younger, older fighters and didn't get the fight he wanted against Canelo Alvarez.

Delayed decision

“It's a challenge that not many people are willing to take on at 168 and 175. So, the toughest challenges, I embrace them. I want to be the most dominant fighter out there. So, I'm going to do what I can,” said Benavidez.

It took Benavidez three years to accept the challenge from Cuban Morel, who has been calling him since 2022. Benavidez didn't want to fight Morel, but changed his mind after his less than impressive fight against Radivoje Kalajzic. August 3rd in Los Angeles.

This means that Benavidez is not as fearless as he portrays himself because if he didn't have fear, he would be fighting Morrell in 2022 instead of fighting these guys:

– Alexander Govozdik
– Demetrius Andrade
– Caleb Plant
– David Lemieux