Leading up to their highly anticipated light heavyweight showdown, David Benavidez and David Morrell engaged in an intense war of words.
The bad blood between them added to the fight’s hype, and when they finally stepped into the ring, their rivalry played out in a brutal, action-packed battle. However, for Benavidez, the hostility ended the moment the fight was over.
“There’s no bad blood no more,” Benavidez stated on The Ariel Helwani Show, just two days after his unanimous decision victory over Morrell.
“Unless we fight again. Then some trash talk may start up.”
A personal feud that delivered in the ring
Benavidez admitted the fight had an extra edge due to the personal tension between the two. He believes that when fighters genuinely dislike each other, it makes for an even better contest.
“It was definitely personal, and I think that showed in the way we fought,” Benavidez said.
“That’s why personal fights are great-two guys who don’t like each other will go to war. Morrell usually moves around the ring, but this time he stood and traded punches with me. And I kept my word to go toe-to-toe. That’s what fans love to see.”
While Benavidez and Morrell moved past their rivalry, Morrell’s manager, Luis DeCubas Sr., was less willing to let things go. According to World Boxing News, DeCubas remained upset about comments Benavidez made before the fight and continued to voice his frustration.
“I knew he was going to still be heated after the fight because I put a beating on Morrell,” Benavidez said.
“But I tried to remain humble. I even gave Morrell his belt back as a keepsake. That title stays with him. I wanted to show sportsmanship-there was no need to keep things going.”
Despite the pre-fight tension, Benavidez made it clear that respect is earned inside the ring.
“At the end of the day, when you go to war, you have to give respect where it’s deserved.”
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