A growling David Benavidez was in a near maniacal state, yelling at WBA ‘regular’ welterweight champion David Morrell during a split screen interview today to discuss their February 1 fight at PBC on Prime Video PPV in T- Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Code Gray for Benavidez?
If this were a hospital situation, doctors or nurses would be called code-grayresulting in security rushing into the room to subdue the angry patient. Benavidez gave him the same look when he shoved Morrell without warning during their Dec. 17 bout at a media workout in Miami. Morrell responded by throwing him a belt.
Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) said mostly the same things he’s said in previous interviews in the build-up to his Feb. 1 fight, repeating for the umpteenth time his unfounded doubts about Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs), who used PEDs in the past and said he was going to “break his face”. It’s the same tried and tested stuff Benavidez has been saying with nothing fresh in terms of material.
The moderator, Ariel Helwani, did nothing to control the movement between the two fighters. Instead, he allowed Benavidez to talk through Morrell to prevent him from speaking. This was frustrating to watch and showed that Helwani is new to this.
A fired-up Benavidez seething with rage spoiled things by not remaining silent to let Morrell speak. It would have helped if Helwani was confident and choked out Benavidez by shutting down his ability to speak.
It was interesting how angry Benavidez was and how often he took large gulps from his coffee cup. He looked nervous and angry and in a state of mind where he looked like he was ready to go wild. This is a clear sign of concern. Benavidez showed fear because man is like that, it means that he is afraid and that he is threatened. It’s a human trait. It’s a good thing Morrell wasn’t in his presence because it could have ended in a fist fight. With Morrell being the stronger, faster, younger and more talented of the two, it could have ended badly for Benavidez.
He seems terrified of Morrell, as he should be, because that person could ruin his career and ruin the huge megamillion payday he can get by fighting the winner of the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitri Bivolo 2 rematch. Benavidez stands to lose a lot of money if Morrell beats him.
Morrell Carefree
“You have no power, man. You have nothing,” he said David Morrell on Channel Ariel Helwanitalking about David Benavidez, who was talking over him on the show, not letting him speak. “You can’t do that. I’ll teach you how to box.
“Not anymore because we’re in his house with drug testing,” he said David Benavidez when asked if he thought Morrell was using PEDs. “When we did this camp, we made sure that no underhand work was going on, and all the fighters were tested. There’s not going to be any mean-spirited crap here because we’re taking care of that.”
“I am clean. I don’t need it,” Morrell said.
“I’m going to fuck you. I’m going to break your mouth,” Benavidez said.
“You say the same thing every time,” Morrell said, noting that Benavidez is like a broken record, saying the same thing in every interview without coming up with new material. “You say you’re a ‘Mexican monster.’ On February 1st, I’m going to kick your ass. I promise you.
“I imagined this a lot. I’m going to go in there and do my job, and this fight won’t last long,” Benavidez said. “I’m going to go in there and hurt David Morrell as much as possible. More than anyone has ever hurt him and more than anyone will ever hurt him.
“They will always remember this fight and they will never forget David Benavidez after this fight.”
“I am 100% confident that I will win this fight. I don’t care how I win this fight. If I knock him out or if it depends on the judges, I know I have all the conditions and skills to be the best on February 1st,” Morrell said.
“All the talk is over and I know you see me in your nightmares, p****. So see you soon,” said an angry Benavidez in his final comments.
