David Morrell says he’s hopeful a struggle between him and David Benavidez can occur quickly now that they’re each combating at 175. Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs) sees motion this Saturday, August third, towards Radivoje “Sizzling Rod” Kalajdzic (29-2, 21 KOs) in a twelve-round battle for the vacant WBA World mild heavyweight title on the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. The struggle will likely be proven dwell on DAZN PPV as a part of this colossal card.
(Picture credit score: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
Morrell’s Ambitions Past Kalajdzic
Morrell might face former WBC mild heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk subsequent, permitting followers to check his efficiency to Benavidez.
He defeated Gvozdyk by a aggressive twelve-round unanimous choice on June fifteenth in a struggle that was nearer than the scores handed down by the three judges working the competition.
Benavidez appeared to barely win after gassing out after six rounds and getting dominated within the final six rounds.
A match between Morrell and Benavidez can be a great eliminator. The winner would struggle whoever emerges when the smoke clears from 175-lb champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol struggle.
These two are combating on October twelfth, and there’s a chance they might struggle twice. Benavidez is the WBC obligatory for Beterbiev’s title with that group, however he’ll want an opponent if there’s a rematch. That’s the place Morrell is available in.
“I really feel good. It’s been a very long time since I fought at 175. It’s the identical David Morrell each time. The one distinction is the load,” stated David Morrell to Boxing Information when requested how he feels going into his conflict on Saturday night time towards Kalajdzic.
The gifted Cuban Morrell, 26, has seemed like pure 24k gold currently, defeating Sena Agbeko, Yamaguchi Falcão, and Aidos Yerbossynuly. Morrell had been calling out Benavidez and Canelo Alvarez however couldn’t get them to struggle him.
He couldn’t even get Edgar Berlanga, his WBA obligatory, to indicate curiosity in combating him. The final nail within the coffin was when Morrell couldn’t even get his obligatory Berlanga to struggle him. Morrell is now making his debut towards Kalajdzic on Saturday, hoping he doesn’t expertise the identical avoidance at 175 that he did at 158.
Benavidez’s Tendencies
For Morrell to get a struggle towards Benavidez, he’s prone to want His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s assist as a result of the ‘Mexican Monster’ has turned a blind eye to his callouts, preferring to struggle older fighters, like Demetrius Andrade, Caleb Plant, David Lemieux, and Roamer Alexis Angulo.
With out Turki’s assist, Benavidez will probably proceed to keep away from Morrell and take straightforward fights till he will get his payday conflict towards the Beterbiev-Bivol winner.
“Everyone says it’s higher for me. My workforce says it’s higher, and I really feel higher too,” stated Morrell about shifting up seven kilos from 168 to 175. I really feel so robust, joyful, and excited in regards to the struggle.”
Morrell has a superb alternative to be seen by many followers on Saturday night time, combating Kalajdzic on the undercard of Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov on DAZN PPV. There will likely be a whole lot of boxing followers tuning in to observe this occasion, and Morrell might steal the thunder from the headline attraction.
“I don’t know him. If they need me to struggle him, I’ll win 100%,” stated Morrell, reacting to the speak of him probably going through former WBC mild heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk subsequent.
It will be an actual assertion win if Morrell might knock out Gvozdyk. He’s solely been stopped as soon as in his profession by Artur Beterbiev in October 2019.
“I’ll struggle him higher than David Benavidez. This man just isn’t straightforward, too. Benavidez is powerful. “I feel so. I need this struggle to come back,” stated Morrell when requested if he thinks he’ll lastly get to struggle Benavidez now that they’re each at 175.
Hopefully, the Morrell vs. Benavidez struggle can occur quickly slightly than it being marinated for 2 or three years.
Benavidez seemed unhealthy in his debut at 175. He gained’t final for much longer earlier than he loses as a result of he doesn’t seem like he’s minimize out for this division. He doesn’t hit arduous sufficient, and his mixture punching leads to him gassing.
“Canelo 100%,” stated Morrell when requested who will win the struggle between Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga on September 14th.
