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Former HBO commentator Jim Lampley favors David Benavidez to dethrone WBA ‘regular’ mild heavyweight champion David Morrell of their most important occasion combat this Saturday, February 1st, on PBC on Prime Video PPV on the T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas.
(Credit score: Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions)
The Enterprise Angle
Lampley feels that the game has “bigger possibilities” if Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) wins as a result of he’s a “Mexican American” than if the Cuban Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) is victorious. That’s a superficial, non-sporting manner to have a look at an athletic contest, specializing in simply the enterprise aspect, however there are truths to that.
It’s higher for boxing if Benavidez wins, however it might be non permanent. If he defeats Morrell, then faces undisputed mild heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and will get crushed by him, his inventory will plummet instantly. Benavidez’s recognition would solely be non permanent.
Furthermore, if Benavidez strikes as much as cruiserweight and is destroyed by IBF champion Jai Opetaia, it will be the identical. So, beating Morrell gained’t imply a lot if Benavidez lacks the expertise to transcend this combat, and he’ll want a powerful chin to outlive fights in opposition to Beterbiev and Opetaia as a result of he’s not precisely exhausting to hit.
Morrell has related energy as Artur Beterbiev, and if Benavidez is simply going to attempt to stroll by his punches the way in which he did in opposition to the smaller, older fighters that he constructed his 29-0 report on, it would finish badly for him on Saturday night time. They’ll be scooping Benavidez up with an enormous spatula afterward and taking him out of the ring in bits & items.
Morrell’s Alternative
“There were other Cubans that wanted to knock people out, too. He [David Morrell] has power, and the power southpaw is a rare occurrence in the sport for whatever reason. Southpaws often wind up as being technicians, and conventional fighters are more likely to come power-punchers,” mentioned Jim Lampley to Sean Zittel, speaking concerning the Cuban southpaw, David Morrell, forward of his combat in opposition to David Benavidez on Saturday.
“He’s [Morrell] acquired a robust proper hook, and he’s acquired actual abilities. He’s acquired an incredible platform right here to point out what he can do. He’s not the favourite. Benavidez is the favourite, however I feel if the combat was in Havana [Cuba], he’d be the favourite. So, I feel it’s an incredible alternative for Morrell.
“I feel Benavidez can grow to be an enormous star. I feel he has greater prospects than Morrell as a result of he’s a Mexican American. That’s a bigger viewers. I don’t root for both of them, however I feel the game will profit if Benavidez places on a Benavidez-type present.
Benavidez can grow to be an enormous star, however once more, he could not final lengthy if he chooses to combat the very best moderately than swerve them the way in which many rigorously packaged fighters do. Beterbiev will most likely knock out ‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez and destroy him like he did Callum Smith. It’s telling that Benavidez and his dad are centered on WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez moderately than IBF champion Jai Opetaia.
That implies they know their limitations and don’t need to mess with Opetaia. Some consider that Benavidez ducked Morrell for the final three years and solely wished to combat him now as a result of he didn’t look good in his earlier combat in his debut at 175 in opposition to Radivoje Kalajdzic.
If Workforce Benavidez dodged Morrell all these years, they’ll possible do the identical with Opetaia. Benavidez needs Artur Beterbiev as a result of he’s 40, and there’s some huge cash to make preventing him from Saudi Arabia. He’ll make some huge cash and have a built-in excuse if he loses to Beterbiev. ‘I fought the best light heavyweight on the planet.’ It could be similar to the injured hand excuse that Benavidez used after his poor efficiency in his debut at mild heavyweight in opposition to Oleksandr Gvozdyk final June.
“There are areas where Morrell may have significant advantages,” mentioned Lampley. “The incentives are bigger for Benavidez. It changes his life more than it changes Morrell’s if Benavidez can win this in spectacular fashion, and he knows that. So, I think because his dreams can be bigger, his horizons can be bigger, and I can favor Benavidez to win the fight.”
The “Weight Bully” Debate
Once more, Lampley is concentrated on the enterprise aspect of issues moderately than the sporting aspect within the Benavidez vs. Morrell combat. Hopefully, there shall be no controversial resolution concerned on this combat, with the A-side fighter Benavidez given a win over Morrell after being dominated. That might tarnish any victory Benavidez is given.
“I have not seen a shortcoming that I can see as a clear potential for Morrell to upset him and win the fight, but it might show up on Saturday night,” mentioned Lampley, reacting to being instructed that many followers view Benavidez as a ‘weight bully because he’s been preventing smaller, older fighters’ by a lot of his profession.