Author: Sean Crose

“There were a lot of names on the table,” David Benavidez said on social media on Tuesday, “but I wanted to give my fans the best fight possible. I contacted David Morrell and his team to make this happen and we signed the contract. This fight is going to be a real banger!!!! 2 best in the division and 2 titles on the LFG line!!!!! The date and place will be announced soon.” This will undoubtedly be an engaging fight if it turns out to be real as it will pit two of the greatest hitters in the sport against each other.

While it goes without saying that fans would still like to see Benavidez fight boxing’s biggest star in Canelo Alvarez, it just won’t happen any time soon, if ever. It’s to Benavidez’s credit that he moved on without bitterness. He has his own career to think about and it’s obvious he has no interest in spending it in Canelo’s shadow. Moreover, if this fight becomes a reality, it will be highly anticipated by fans of the sport. And the best way to become a great Canelo is to win fight after fight against tough as nails competition – and Benavidez is doing just that if he is to meet Morrell in the ring.

At 26 years ancient, the 11-0 Morrell may not have much of a record, but over the course of his five-year career (on the way to Cuba), the Minnesotan stopped all but two of his opponents in the distance. The fighter’s last fight was in August, when he defeated Radivoje Kalajdzic by unanimous decision on the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. “I want everyone to see that I am the best,” he is quoted as saying on the website. If so, he’s well on his way to proving it against the fearsome Benavidez.

Of course, Benavidez himself needs no introduction to fight fans. After all, Canelo doesn’t think everyone should be avoided. And while it may be ridiculous to accuse Canelo of avoiding anyone (look through the man’s resume for evidence of his willingness to fight a perilous opponent), the point is clear – the 29-0 Benavidez is a force to be reckoned with. He’s fought tough guys, shrewd guys, and just about everyone in between, and he’s never lost. He also finished off all but five of his opponents at the distance.

In miniature, both fighters are downright perilous.

Unified featherlight heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev is willing to talk about a possible fight with Canelo Alvarez or David Benavidez only after his upcoming fight with Dmitry Bivol.

Thirty-nine-year-old Beterbiev of Russia is preparing to face his compatriot Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on Saturday in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.

Despite considering future fights with Alvarez and Benavidez, Beterbiev is only focused on defeating Bivol.

“We’ll see. Let’s talk about it later,” Beterbiev said in response to a possible fight with Benavidez in the future. “Honestly, I’ve never seen him fight. I never watched his fights because I’m not a boxing fan. When I sign a contract to fight a boxer, I only focus on that fighter. I’m not the type of person who wants to watch everyone fight.

Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KO) will have his three featherlight heavyweight titles on the line – WBC, IBF and WBO – when he goes head-to-head with Bivol in a highly anticipated clash. If the unified champion wins, Beterbiev could face either Benavidez or Alvarez in another thrilling fight.

While Benavidez is coming off a decision win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his debut fight at 175 pounds, Alavrez lost to Bivol two years ago in his second featherlight heavyweight fight. Before meeting Bivol, Alvarez won his first fight at 175 pounds against Sergei Kovalev for the WBO championship.

Commenting on a possible fight with unified 168-pound champion Alvarez, Beterbiev said it was a completely different matter.

“It’s a different movie. We need to watch this movie first and then we can talk about it. I never predict the next fight. We’ll see. I’m not one to predict my future fights. I’m a elementary boxer and I try to do my best. I will do my best.”

Benavidez announced on Instagram on Tuesday that David Benavidez will face David Morrell in a high-stakes airy heavyweight fight.

ESPN sources say the 175-pound fight will be the main event of the PBC pay-per-view card and is scheduled to take place on January 25 in Las Vegas.

According to sources, Benavidez (29-0, 24 KO) was in talks to fight side challenger Jesse Hart on December 14 for the Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach title fight, but has secured a much more compelling fight.

Benavidez has been chasing boxing’s biggest star, Canelo Álvarez, for years. Álvarez showed no interest in such a fight, so this summer Benavidez jumped from 168 to 175 pounds, beating Oleksandr Gvozdyk by decision.

Benavidez, 27, who fights out of Miami, is a former two-time 168-pound titleholder. He is ranked No. 3 at 175 pounds.

Now Benavidez is prepared for the toughest test of his career. Cuban Morrell (11-0, 9 KO) also moved up to airy heavyweight this summer. In August, he had the toughest fight of his career after a unanimous decision over Radivoje Kalajdzic.

Morrell, 26, is ranked No. 4 in the airy heavyweight division by ESPN. Two of ESPN’s top 175-pound fighters, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, will fight Saturday on ESPN+ for the undisputed airy heavyweight title.

The winner of Benavidez-Morrell will be lined up to fight the winner.