Since the announcement of the David Morrell vs. David Benavidez fight on February 1st, the question was, why at this weight? The winner of this fight will probably never be able to defeat Artur Beterbiev, let alone Dmitri Bivol, in light heavyweight.
Although the ages of Bivol and Beterbiev are closer to 40, I don’t think Morrell or Benavidez can defeat either of the two Russians. In my opinion, the logical thing to do was to make that fight at super middleweight between them, with the winner putting himself in front of Canelo Alvarez at a mega event in Las Vegas.
Later, the winner at 168 would face Canelo at a catchweight against the winner of the Beterbiev-Bivol II fight, possibly at 170 pounds, in a best-of-five fight.
The economic factor may not be so decisive in any of these battles; Turki Alalshikh has money to give to everyone. But I wanted to see Canelo vs Bivol or Morrell or Benavidez again. The possibility of seeing Beterbiev against any of these three Americans was also a plus.
The answer to the initial question can be linked to the interests of the Mexican Saul Alvarez. It’s no secret that when Morrel and Benavidez fought in super middleweight, Canelo and his team called to arrange a fight that still remains attractive to the right fans. For some time, Morrel and Benavidez were the mandatory challengers to Canelo Alvarez.
From another angle, the crushing defeat of Munguía against Surace has put another obstacle in the plans drawn on the desks of those who handle the threads of boxing. The Frenchman left us with the feeling that Jaime Munguía was not who he seemed and that Canelo did not have the power to defeat him in such a powerful way. That leaves Canelo Alvarez with a case to solve, even in super middleweight.
When the boxing fan put aside the interest of seeing the best against the best, money came in to contribute so that it didn’t happen. And the worst part is that the fans believed the fights they got were the best. And if that wasn’t a bit, the interim graduates made things worse. Today, a fan knows little about the rankings in each weight category. All that matters is to see the boxer of the moment win not only fights, but also millions.
There is still good boxing and great fights to be seen. Of course, yes, and in all weight categories! What must be done is that each must take their place as it was done before. Give the fan the fight they want to see, if that happens the event is sure to be a success. We can’t say that athletes don’t deserve what they deserve, but they should do it the way they’re supposed to. Show the title the respect it deserves, not just for the title, but for those who sacrificed their lives to obtain it.
We do not mean that it is not a business sport. It has been since its inception. The art of sweet science can become a brothel where money is exchanged for a place if we stand firm and keep it.
Morrell and Benavidez will have the opportunity to face each other at a weight they should have finished their careers at. However, intermediate interests forced them to migrate to a weight category in which two giants like Beterbiev and Bivol would not let anyone pass. They are the best in their category and have to compete against each other.
Meanwhile, in other ways, they leak notes on some sites where a super middleweight who spent most of his career at middleweight wants to face a welterweight, because they say that’s the fight everyone wants to see, … Pointless and irrelevant.
This is the answer to the question: fights in boxing of this era are made out of time or when they no longer make sense. The fans seem to have no interest, and if they do, boxing’s governing bodies are to blame for keeping the senseless and uncool, as they are part of the business rather than the sport.
I don’t want to say I’m not interested in this fight at this weight, nor will I make a prediction about the outcome before February 1st. Like many others, I am a fan and am eager to see what Morrell and Benavidez can accomplish in this weight class.
