David Benavidez dismisses David Morrell fight rumours, wants to face Jaime Munguia | Boxing News

DAVID BENAVIDEZ has rubbished claims he is fighting David Morrell next.

Dan Rafael reported on this week’s Big Fight Weekend podcast that the two super-middleweights would meet later this year. The veteran scribe revealed he had spoken to Benavidez’ promoter Sampson Lewkowicz.

“Sampson had told me that they are absolutely working towards and finalising a deal for David Benavidez to fight against David Morrell probably later this year, in the fall,” said Rafael.

“Maybe it slips over into the beginning of next year but most likely it’s going to be towards the latter part of this year.

“Talking to Sampson and I quote, ‘This is the plan. We don’t have anybody else, and we have an agreement’. Maybe that agreement is not signed but they are making David Benavidez against David Morrell.”

Back in March Benavidez beat Caleb Plant on points in an entertaining contest where the former proved in the second half of the fight how dangerous he can be. His no-nonsense come forward mindset was backed up by face-altering shots that landed on Plant no matter how well he tried to evade them.

That win has many a boxing fan wanting to see Canelo defend his four super-middleweight belts against Benavidez. Recent reports suggest the Mexican is moving forward with a fight against Jermall Charlo who would be moving up 8lbs to challenge Canelo.

As he wrapped his hands during a training session yesterday Benavidez spoke to FightHype about the Morrell speculation.

“There’s no fight with Morrell lined up,” he said.

“I just seen that yesterday that supposedly they said I agreed to the fight. I’m like man this is my first time seeing about it. We’re not fighting Morrell. Everything has been coming out saying that we agreed to the fight. I haven’t seen anything. I didn’t agree to anything. I’m trying to make big fights happen.

“Right now, we want to fight Jaime Munguia, [who] came up to 168. I think that would be a great fight. Two big names but if we can’t get him, we’ll probably do Morrell. If it doesn’t come from me then it’s not official.”

Benavidez went on to discuss a recent proposal sent by his team, including Lewkowicz and Al Haymon, to Canelo and his advisors.

“They didn’t even reply to the offer,” Benavidez commented.

“It’s one thing saying you could turn it down or you tell him we’re just gonna wait one more year, we’ll try to get some more money or whatever. They ain’t even reply to it. So, imagine you got a deal on the table for 45 million dollars and nobody replies. I don’t know what else to say. He don’t want to fight.

“He’d rather negotiate with somebody that hasn’t fought in three years. No disrespect to Charlo but he still hasn’t fought in three years. He’s gonna have ring rust.

Benavidez was then corrected by the interviewer that in fact Charlo’s time out of the ring has been two years, not three.

“Yeah, two years. It’s still a long time.”