A snarling David Benavidez was in a near maniacal state, shouting at WBA ‘regular’ light heavyweight champion David Morrell during a split-screen interview today to discuss their fight on February 1st on PBC on Prime Video PPV at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Code Gray For Benavidez?
If this were a hospital situation, the doctors or nurses would be calling in a code-gray, resulting in security rushing to the room to subdue the angry patient. Benavidez had the same look to him when he shoved Morrell without warning during their face-off on December 17th at the media workout in Miami. Morrell responded by throwing his belt at him.
Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) pretty much said the same things he’s been saying in the previous interviews during the build-up to his February 1st fight, rehashing for the umpteenth time his unfounded suspicions of Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) having used PEDs in the past, and saying he’s going to “break his face.” It is the same tried stuff that Benavidez has been saying with nothing fresh in terms of material.
The moderator, Ariel Helwani, did nothing to control the back-and-forth between the two fighters. Instead, he allowed Benavidez to talk over Morrell to keep him from speaking. This was frustrating to watch and showed that Helwani is new to this.
The amped-up, boiling-with-rage Benavidez spoiled things by not shutting up to allow Morrell to talk. It would have helped if Helwani had been assertive and muzzled Benavidez by shutting off his speaking ability. He looked insecure and needed to try to exert control by talking over Morrell.
What was interesting was how angry Benavidez was and how he frequently took big gulps from his coffee cup. He looked nervous and angry and in a state of mind where he looked like he was ready to run amok. This is a clear sign of worry.
Benavidez showed his fear because a person is like that, it means they’re afraid and threatened. It’s a human characteristic. It’s a good thing that Morrell wasn’t in his presence because it might ended up in a fistfight. Since Morrell is the stronger, faster, younger, and more talented of the two, it might have ended badly for Benavidez.
He seems terrified of Morrell, as he should be, because this person could wreck his career and spoil the massive mega-million payday he can get fighting the winner of the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 rematch. There’s a lot of money that Benavidez will lose out on if he gets beaten by Morrell.
Morrell Unfazed
“You don’t have any power, man. You don’t have nothing,” said David Morrell on the Ariel Helwani channel, talking about David Benavidez, who was talking over him on the show, not letting him speak. “You can’t do it. I’ll teach you how to box.
“Not no more because we’re on his a** with the drug testing,” said David Benavidez when asked if he thinks Morrell is using PEDs. “When we did this camp, we made sure there was no sneaky business going on, and all fighters are being tested. There’s not going to be no sneaky s*** here because we take care of it.”
“I’m clean. I don’t need it,” said Morrell.
“I’m going to f*** you up. I’m going to break your mouth,” said Benavidez.
“Every time, you talk the same,” said Morrell, pointing out that Benavidez is like a broken record, saying the same thing in every interview without coming up with new material. “You say you’re the ‘Mexican Monster.’ On February 1st, I’m kicking your a***. I promise you.
“I’ve envisioned this a lot. I’m going to go in there and do my job, and this fight is not going the distance,” said Benavidez “I’m going to go in there and hurt David Morrell as much as possible. More than anybody has ever hurt him and more than anybody ever will hurt him.
“He’s always going to remember this fight, and he’s never going to forget David Benavidez after this fight.”
“I’m 100% convinced I’m going to win this fight. I don’t care which way I’m going to win this fight. If I knock him out or if it’s up to the judges, I know I have all the conditions and the skills to come out on top on February 1st,” said Morrell.
“All the talking is done, and I know you see me in your nightmares, p****. So, I’ll see you soon,” said an angry Benavidez in his final comments.
