David Benavidez has accused David Morrell of attempting to injure him during their heated face-off on December 17th in Miami, when Morrell threw his WBA ‘regular’ light heavyweight belt at Benavidez after a confrontation. Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) felt upset when Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) refused to shake his hand, but the situation escalated when Morrell threw his belt toward Benavidez, narrowly missing his head.
Benavidez, who visibly angered by the incident, interpreted Morrell’s actions as an attempt to avoid the fight by causing an injury. “For me, throwing that belt at your face, I know in my mind that I’m going to hit you, and the fight is going to get canceled because you’re going to get cut,” Benavidez stated in an interview with Fighthype, adding that Morrell’s aim was intentional and not accidental.
However, some might argue that Benavidez played a role in escalating the confrontation, as he was the one who initiated the physical interaction by shoving Morrell. The shove came after Morrell declined to shake his hand, leading to the tense exchange that ultimately involved the thrown belt.
Benavidez, still frustrated, continued to criticize Morrell for his actions. “I really want to beat the s*** out of Morrell, and that’s exactly what I intend on doing,” he declared. He further claimed that Morrell “scared” and was looking for a way to avoid the fight. “Who throws belts at somebody’s face? That’s a heavy-a** belt,” Benavidez added, calling the move an attempt to force the cancellation of the fight by causing an injury.
Benavidez’s fiery remarks suggest a deeper rivalry and build-up toward a highly anticipated showdown. “From the first press conference, I sensed the fear in him,” Benavidez said, referring to the earlier face-off. “I did all that. *I pushed him. I did the press conference, and now many more people are showing interest in this fight. They should be, because this is going to be a good fight.”
While Benavidez is confident that Morrell will not engage in a toe-to-toe battle, he stressed that he is prepared to fight with everything he has. “I’m going to hurt that guy as much as I possibly can,” Benavidez stated, emphasizing his readiness for war inside the ring.
The fight promises to be an intriguing clash of styles, with Benavidez known for his relentless volume punching, while Morrell’s knockout power will be a key threat. As the two prepare for their showdown, Benavidez must adjust his tactics for the higher weight class at 175 pounds, where Morrell’s power could pose a serious challenge to his usual approach. The upcoming bout will test both fighters critically.
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