Unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez will face Edgar Berlanga on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, while David Benavidez has decided to stay at 175 pounds. That sounds great for the Cuban David Morrell.
Benavidez vs. Morrell was a fight that was talked about for a long time, as both were making careers at super middleweight. Just over three weeks ago, Morrell’s representatives, through Luis DeCubas, announced that the Cuban would continue his career at 175 pounds.
Benavidez’s relentless pursuit finally came to an end. Benavidez chose to gain weight and continue his career, aiming for great fights in 175 libs, because Canelo didn’t want to give him the option to fight that fight.
Now, the picture seems clearer. Canelo will face Berlanga for the 168-pound titles, and Benavidez remains the mandatory opponent in the fight between WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and IBF/WBC/WBO champion Artur Beterbiev on October 12. With this scenario, Morrell’s options expand because he will likely face Benavidez in 2025.
David Morrell’s debut at 175 is on August 3 against Radivoje ‘Hot Rod’ Kalajdzic on the Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov undercard at the Riyadh Season event at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. The Serbian Kalajdzic, who is ranked #4 with the WBA, knocked out veteran Sullivan Barrera in the tenth round last March.
Benavidez made his debut in 175, winning a 12-round unanimous decision on June 15th against former WBC light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk. The WBC interim title and the mandatory spot were at stake in that fight.
Benavidez is now the WBC interim champion and mandatory for the October 12th fight between Bivol and Beterbiev. However, it is not ruled out that Benavidez will take another fight at super middleweight before exercising his right to face the winner of the undisputed 175-lb championship between Beterbiev and Bivol.
David Morrell is the youngest boxer of all, with 26 years in 175 pounds and fewer fights, 10-0- (9 KO). After seeing all the moves happening these days, he will be the big winner. Beterbiev, who is 39 years old, appears to have few remaining fights, while Bivol, who is 33, must avoid Artur’s powerful shots on October 12th to win.
Even if Benavidez, at 27, decides to finally exercise his right to fight for the titles as the mandatory challenger against the winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev bout, all this ultimately benefits Morrell. For David Morrell to establish himself as a significant boxer in the light-heavyweight division in the near future, he must keep winning and climbing the rankings.