By Eric Bottjer
For a combat that has little buzz, tonight’s Benavidez-Morrell card may have crowd on the T-Cell Enviornment. Many of the prospects may have purchased tickets. This regardless of the dearth of big-fight ambiance on the host resort, the MGM Grand.
For the primary time in years, there isn’t a boxing ring greeting fight-week arrivals on the MGM’s predominant foyer (the resort routinely units up an precise ring in entrance of the check-in desk, a photograph op for followers who pose subsequent to it). If there have been any celebrities milling about (boxing or in any other case), they’ve disguised themselves quarter-slot gamers and $15-a-hand blackjack card sharks. Final evening, there was just one hooker within the foyer bar. Ghastly (the dearth of motion, not the hooker). You may get a seat at any restaurant with out a wait.
However the combat is promoting. Nosebleeds are going for $125. The perfect out there ringside stand at $10,435. Every. If anybody within the biz desires to know the way a present is promoting, they get with Jim Boone of KO Tickets, an skilled ducat hustler and a educated boxing fan. Jim (helped by one other Jim, and naturally a Bob thrown in) buys tickets in bulk (discounted from face worth) as soon as a present is introduced and has loyal prospects who hit him up for one of the best seats. The repeat prospects guarantee Jim doesn’t drown in crimson ink. Nevertheless it’s general fan gross sales that determines if the Jims and Bob eat on the meals court docket or steak home throughout combat week. “Fairly good,” is how Jim summed up ticket gross sales in Vegas. Tonight, he’s on a redeye to Michigan, for Claressa Shields in Flint. Dmitriy Salita and Mark Taffet have hit a “house run” on that promotion, he says (large credit score to Shields, who can provide the fowl to critics who declare “she doesn’t promote”).
So why is Benavides-Morrell promoting? It’s an awesome match, the primary main combat this yr that’s such. The subsequent high-level 50-50 match just isn’t for 3 weeks and is in Saudi Arabia.
You additionally must credit score PBC, which has numerous critics concerning its general promotion of occasions and exercise of its prime boxers. There’s validity to each costs, but Benavidez-Morrell will produce a crowd and Tank Davis is packing the Barclays Middle subsequent month. For now, the PBC can counter criticism with proof.
The key sauce tonight is Benavidez. He’s a daunting presence, somebody who would stand out in any crowd, boxing or in any other case. He has “it.” As a fighter, he appears to be like a bigger, higher model of Diego Corrales. Benavidez has an actual take a look at tonight, as Morrell can combat. The Cuban ought to have success early.
Benavidez may be hit and Morrell actually will take benefit. However because the combat goes on, Benavidez will combat downhill, and Morrell might be spectacular just by remaining upright the ultimate 4 rounds.
The MGM presently has Benavidez a -230 favourite, though you may get +120 in the event you guess him by determination and +275 in the event you assume Morrel doesn’t make the ultimate bell. Morrell is +180 to easily win. There’s so much on the road for Benavidez. A win places him in line for the Beterbiev-Bivol winner, and, pondering manner forward, if he’s victorious there, public strain would guarantee him his desired Canelo combat (except Canelo loses throughout that point or just retires).
