Since the announcement of the David Morrell vs. David Benavidez fight on February 1st, the question has been, why at this weight? The winner of this fight will never be able to defeat Artur Beterbiev, and even Dmitry Bivol, in light weight.
Although the age of Bivol and Beterbiev is closer to 40, I do not think that Morrell or Benavidez can defeat either of the two Russians. In my opinion, the logical thing was to make that super middleweight fight between them, and the winner would put him in front of Canelo Alvarez in a mega event in Las Vegas.
Next, the winner at 168 will face Canelo at a catchweight against the winner of the Beterbiev-Bivol II fight, possibly at 170 pounds, in a fight that will determine the best of the five.
The economic factor may not be so crucial in any of these struggles; Turki Alalshikh has money to give to everyone. But I wanted to see Canelo vs. Bivol 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 the Mexican Saul Alvarez. It’s no secret that Morrel and Benavidez, while fighting at super middleweight, call on Canelo and his team to organize a fight that will always be attractive to true fans. For some time, Morrel and Benavidez were the mandatory challengers of Canelo Alvarez.
From another angle, the crushing defeat of Munguía versus Surace puts another obstacle in the plans that have been drawn on the desks of those who handle the threads of boxing. The French left us with the feeling that Jaime Munguía is not who he seemed to be and that Canelo did not have the power to defeat him in such a strong way. This leaves Canelo Alvarez with a matter to resolve, even at super middleweight.
When the boxing fan put aside the interest of seeing the best versus the best, the money came to contribute to not being successful. And the worst thing is that the fans believed that the fights they gave were the best. And if that wasn’t enough, the interim graduates got worse. Today, a fan knows little about the rankings in each weight category. All that matters is to see the boxer of the moment win not only fights but millions.
There is always good boxing and great fights to watch. Of course, yes, and in all weight categories! What should be done is for everyone to take their place as it was done before. Give the fan the fight they want to see, if this happens the event is sure to be a success. We cannot say that the athletes do not deserve what they earn, but they have to do it the way they are supposed to. Show the title the respect it deserves, not just for the title, but for those who sacrifice their lives to get it.
We do not mean that this is not a commercial sport. It has been since its inception. The art of soft science could become a brothel where money is exchanged for a place, if you stand still and keep it.
Morrell and Benavidez will have the opportunity to face a weight they should have finished their careers with. However, intermediate interests forced to migrate to a weight category in which two giants like Beterbiev and Bivol would not let anyone pass. They are the best in their category and must compete against each other.
Meanwhile, in other ways, they disclose notes on some websites where a super average who has done most of his career in the middle weight wants to face a welterweight because, according to them, it is the fight that everyone wants to see, . .. Senseless and irrelevant .
That is the answer to the question: the fights in the boxing of this era are done out of time or when they no longer make sense. The fans seem to have no interest, and if they do, the governing bodies of boxing are to blame for keeping it senseless and uncool, since they are part of the business rather than the sport.
I do not want to say that I am not interested in this fight at this weight, nor will I make a prediction about the result before February 1. Like many others, I am a fan and am eager to witness what Morrell and Benavidez can do in this weight class.
