By Eric Bottjer
The post-fight trade was regular, the victorious boxer shaking arms with the promoter of his rival. However when David Benavidez went to take a seat down after providing his hand to Luis DeCubas (promoter of David Morrell), the trade had simply begun.
DeCubas turned animated and commenced jabbing his finger at Benavidez, who seemed perplexed and amused. After which offended.
The dust-up started days earlier on the fight-week press convention. Benavidez dominated it (Morrell and his coach, Ronnie Shields, are introverts) till DeCubas stepped in. “You’re getting knocked the fuck out,” DeCubas instructed Benavidez. “You’re scared. I can see it in your eyes.” Benavidez has quite a lot of instruments, together with counterpunching. He accused DeCubas of creating extra money than Morrell for the battle.
Later, Decubas was virtually bemused by that accusation. “First time in my 43 years of boxing I’ve heard that,” he stated. “It’s ridiculous. Additionally, there’s no approach Al Haymon is letting any promoter make more cash than the fighter.”
DeCubas didn’t regard the discuss as the traditional pre-fight hype. He was not able to make good. Nonetheless, Decubas IS a professional and one in every of his many abilities to take a look at boxing with out emotion in previewing and reviewing fights. “I really thought Morrell would knock him out,” DeCubas stated. “So all credit score to him (Benavidez). That’s baseball.” Morrell, DeCubas added, has now moved into the elite neighborhood at light-heavyweight. Discuss of a potential Caleb Plant battle delighted him. “We’ll battle anyone,” he stated.
So will Benavidez. His promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz (well-known sufficient now that once you punch in “Sampson L” on Google, Lewkowicz’s identify is seen on web page 1) has solely ONE physique in thoughts proper now: the winner of the Feb. 22 rematch between Arthur Beterbiev-Dmitriy Bivol. “That’s the ONLY battle we’re ,” Sampson stated Monday night time. “We anticipate the WBC and WBA to call us the necessary for the winner. David proved (towards Morrell) that he’s the one battle for the winner.”
The long-term plan is clear – battle (and hopefully beat) the winner of Beterbiev-Bivol, shaming Canelo Alvarez right into a mega 2026 showdown. The winner of that battle takes the mantel because the “face of boxing” (a phrase thrown round far too usually at the moment, however on this situation, fairly correct).
Benavidez instructed Ariel Helwani on Sunday that he may be ringside for Beterbiev-Bivol in Saudi Arabia. “That’s his determination and he hasn’t made it but,” Lewkowicz stated, including that Benavidez was leaving on a trip (which has turn out to be a convention for him after a giant battle) and can resolve whether or not to chop that journey quick and head to Saudi.
