David Benavidez believes David Morrell was trying to hurt him to get out of their fight when he threw his heavyweight WBA 'regular light heavyweight belt at him after shoving him during their December 17 bout in Miami. Benavidez seems paranoid about the injury scenario he has formulated.
Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) became angry when Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) refused to shake his hand. So, to deal with his shame and anger, he showed Morrell, who retaliated by throwing his WBA belt at him. The belt barely missed and hit Benavidez in the head. He interpreted Morrell's move as an attempt to get out of the fight by injuring him.
You could look at it from the other side. It was Benavidez who tried to wriggle out of the fight by shoving Morrell, hoping Morrell would punch him in the face in retaliation. It was Benavidez who started the push. What did he expect Morrell to do?
Was Morrell afraid?
“I really want to beat Morrell and that's exactly what I intend to do,” David Benavidez said Fighthypestill complaining that David Morrell wouldn't shake his hand during their press exercise.
“For me, I already know that he is 100% afraid of me because he is already looking for ways out. Who throws a belt in someone's face? That's a tough a** belt, bro,” Benavidez said of Morrell throwing his WBA world belt at him during their bout after being shoved hard without warning.
“As far as I'm concerned, throwing the belt in your face, I know in my mind that I'm going to hit you and the fight will be canceled because you're going to cut yourself. That's exactly what he did. He aimed at my head too. He didn't try to miss,” Benavidez said.
It wouldn't have been a problem if Benavidez had controlled his violent instincts when Morrell wouldn't shake his hand. Does he go through life pushing everyone until they don't want to shake hands?
“From the first press conference when we faced each other, I felt the fear in him,” Benavidez said of Morrell. “I've been doing this for a long time, and it's the same with this one. I said, 'Be careful what you ask for because I might be there to give it to you.
“This makes for a better fight. I did it all. I pushed him. I did a press conference and now a lot more people are interested in this fight. They should be because this is going to be a good fight. David Morrell is a good fighter. I am a great fighter.
Will Morrell engage?
“We're going to war, and if he really means what he's saying, he's going to stand there and go shoulder to shoulder with me. I don't think he will do that. I'm 100% ready to get in there and do it. I'm going to hurt that guy as much as I can,” Benavidez said.
It may not work in Benavidez's favor to stand toe to toe with a big hitter like Morrell because he hits a lot harder and will take advantage of any punches he tends to throw.
Benavidez's power punching worked for him at 168 against the smaller, older, weaker fighters he was matched against. But at 175, he'll have to reinvent himself if he doesn't want his career to implode, starting with the Morrell fight.
