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Sports activities commentator Stephen A. Smith worries about David Benavidez getting harm as a result of he stands in entrance of his opponents, doesn’t transfer, and makes use of no head motion. Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) posts up in entrance of his opposition and lets his fingers go.
(Credit score: Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions)
Smith’s Worries
WBC interim gentle heavyweight champion Benavidez might get harm in his subsequent combat when he goes up in opposition to David Morrell on February 1st of their 12-round conflict on the T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas.
If Benavidez is knocked out on this combat, he might want to resolve whether or not to attempt to return to 168 or keep at 175 and be content material with being a contender quite than a world champion.
Morrell is as huge as Benavidez however a lot stronger, quicker, and extra technically gifted. He got here from the Cuban faculty of boxing and didn’t study all of the dangerous habits Benavidez did throughout his years of preventing in opposition to smaller opposition.
Smith is a giant fan of Benavidez, and he nonetheless appears to have his head wrapped round Canelo Alvarez, who must combat him. That combat will not be going to occur. They’re in several divisions now, and Canelo is ending his profession at 168 choosing and selecting.
Benavidez, 28, has developed a method that has labored for him as a result of he’s been larger than his opponents, preventing in a division under his body for 11 years at 168 earlier than lastly shifting as much as 175.
In his debut at 175 in opposition to Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June fifteenth, we witnessed Benavidez being hit steadily. Transferring ahead, he received’t have the ability to rating knockouts like he did when he fought smaller fighters at 168.
“I’m a huge David Benavidez fan. I love Canelo as well, but I don’t like the fact that Canelo is taking so long to give him a match,” mentioned Stephen A. Smith to the Sean Zittel channel. “I applaud David Benavidez as a result of he geese nobody, and he’s able to combat always.
“He is ‘The Mexican Monster.’ Sometimes, I wonder if someone is going to hurt him because he’s right there in front of them. He doesn’t move, but he clearly shows he can take a punch, and he can damn sure give one with either hand,” continued Smith about Benavidez.
“He’s got speed, he’s got power, he’s got boxing ability, and he’s got heart. I don’t know if there’s a bigger fan of David Benavidez than me. I got a lot of love for his skills, and I want to see him on the big stage,” mentioned Smith.
Stephen A. is an off-the-cuff boxing fan, not the hardcore selection, who follows the game intently. Therefore, he doesn’t understand that Benavidez is not in Canelo’s orbit. He additionally doesn’t appear to be conscious that Benavidez by no means fought in opposition to elite-level opposition to earn his ‘Mexican Monster’ nickname within the true sense. He was basically a weight bully who fought in opposition to older, smaller veterans.
The Handshake Incident
“Benavidez messed up by trying to shake his hand. Those Cuban boys, they got a playful attitude, but they really hate when they think somebody thinks they can beat them,” mentioned Coach Greg Hackett on YSM Sports activities Media, speaking about at the moment’s altercation.
After all of the issues that Benavidez mentioned about Morrell, there was no likelihood he would shake his hand throughout their face-off at the moment in Miami. Benavidez shouldn’t have even tried to shake fingers with Morrell as a result of he was asking for hassle.
“When Benavidez walked up to him and tried to shake his hand, he shouldn’t have done that. Morrell was like, ‘No, we’re not on that. We’re going to rumble. All that s*** you was talking about me, and now you want to shake hands?’”
