Since the announcement of the David Morrell vs. David Benavidez fight on February 1st, the question has been asked, why at this weight? The winner of this fight will probably never be able to defeat Artur Beterbiev, let alone Dmitri Bivol, in the light heavyweight division.
Although Bivolo and Beterbiev are closer to 40, I don’t think Morrell or Benavidez can beat either of the two Russians. In my opinion, it was logical to make that super middleweight fight between them, and the winner put him in front of Canelo Alvarez at the mega event in Las Vegas.
Later, the 168-pound winner will face Canelo at catchweight against the winner of the Beterbiev-Bivol II fight, likely at 170 pounds, in a best-of-five bout.
The economic factor may not be so decisive in any of these struggles; Turki Alalshikh has money to give to everyone. But I wanted to see Canelo vs. Bivolo again or Morrell or Benavidez again. Also, the possibility of seeing Beterbiev against any of these three Americans was a plus.
The answer to the initial question could be related to the interests of Mexican Saul Alvarez. It’s no secret that when Morrel and Benavidez were fighting in the super middleweight division, Canelo and his team called out for a fight that still appeals to true fans. For a while, Morrel and Benavidez were mandatory challengers for Canelo Alvarez.
Seen from another angle, Munguía’s devastating loss against Surace has put another hurdle in the plans drawn up on the desks of those who hold the boxing strings. The Frenchman left us with the feeling that Jaime Munguía was not what he appeared to be and that Canelo did not have the power to defeat him in such a powerful way. That leaves Canelo Alvarez with a problem to solve, even at super middleweight.
When the boxing fan put aside his interest in seeing the best against the best, money came in to help prevent that from happening. And the worst thing is that the fans believed that the fights they were given were the best. And if that’s not enough, the intermediate graduates made it worse. Today, the fan knows little about the standings in each weight category. All that matters is seeing the boxer of the moment winning not just fights but millions.
There is still good boxing and great fights to see. Of course, yes, and in all weight categories! What needs to be done is for everyone to take their place as it has been done up to now. Give the fans 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 earn, but they should do it the way they’re supposed to. Give the title the respect it deserves, not just for the title but for those who sacrificed their lives to get it.
We don’t think this is a business sport. It’s been like that since its inception. The art of sweet science could 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 the weight with which they should have ended their careers. However, indirect interests forced them to migrate to a weight category where two giants like Beterbiev and Bivol do not let anyone pass. They are the best in their category and have to compete with each other.
Meanwhile, in other ways, they post notes on some websites where a super middleweight who spent most of his career at middleweight wants to face a light heavyweight because, according to them, that’s the fight everyone wants to see,… Pointless and irrelevant.
That is the answer to the question: boxing fights of this era are made out of time or when they no longer make sense. It seems that the fans have no interest, and if they do, it is the fault of the governing bodies of boxing, who think they are pointless and uncool, because they are part of the business, not the sport.
I don’t want to say that I’m not interested in this fight at this weight, nor will I predict the outcome before February 1st. Like many others, I am a fan and can’t wait to witness what Morrell and Benavidez can accomplish at this weight class.
