During the media workout, David Benavidez looked drained today, showing the strains of needing to still lose a lot of weight for Friday’s weigh-in for his main event clash against David Morrell at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
(Credit: Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions)
This is what I was afraid of. Benavidez’s weight-bullying days have finally caught up to him, and he’s heading toward the walking guillotine Morrell.
It is not a good sign for Benavidez to look skeletal ahead of his fight against the talented Cuban Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) in their 12-round clash on PBC on Prime Video PPV. Morrell looked great today, showing no signs of being drained and almost as if he were ready to walk into the ring for the fight.
Weight Struggles
When Benavidez was fighting against old, smaller guys at super middleweight, he could get away with being weight-drained because his opposition was a mix of washed-up fighters and tomato cans. He can’t get away with that against Morrell, who will take advantage of his weakness to beat the stuffing out of him if he’s fighting at 60% capacity.
In the Mexican Monster’s debut at 175 against Oleksandr Usyk last year, he gassed out after eight rounds, and one reason for that is likely the strain of making weight and carrying extra pounds.
Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) moved up to 175 pounds last June from 168, where he was considered a giant in the super middleweight division. But even at 175, he’s still drained, which indicates that he’s a true cruiserweight and should fight in that division rather than light heavyweight.
The extra seven pounds, from 168 to 175, isn’t enough to keep Benavidez from appearing emaciated and deathly.
“It only takes a little bit of trash talk to set me off, but he’s been talking a lot. He’s been calling me out for two years [correction: Three years. Morrell has called out Benavidez since 2022],” said David Benavidez to Fight Hub TV at today’s media workout, looking for an excuse to hype the fight.
“I’m going to shut this guy up. I’ve been a professional for 11 years [correction: 12 years. Benavidez turned pro in 2013]. I have way more experience. [148 rounds vs. 54 for Morrell. However, Morrell has way more amateur experience against better opposition than the older fighters that Benavidez has fought].
“You learn from experience, and I plan to use my experience to the best of my advantage,” said David after mentioning his recent fight against Caleb Plant, who is the best name on his resume.
“I don’t have to look for just one punch. In this fight, we’re going to do different stuff. We’re going to be throwing combinations right off the bat, and once I let my combinations go, you’re going to see the best David Benavidez that has been seen.
“I’m not just looking for one shot. I’m going to punish this dude from every angle. Body shots, headshots, and uppercuts. Whatever it is, I’m going to punish him,” said Benavidez.
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