Morrell Criticizes Canelo-Crawford as a "Fake Business Fight"

Dec 7, 2024 at 4:52 AM
David Morrell has voiced strong opinions about a potential fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford. The fight between these two boxing greats is yet to materialize, with Crawford sidelined due to an injury until May 2025. Turki Alalshikh is trying to make this fight happen.

Unraveling the Canelo-Crawford Conundrum in Boxing

Morrell's Doubts about Canelo's Opponent Choice

David Morrell firmly believes that Canelo Alvarez should be defending his titles against contenders at 168 pounds instead of taking on the 37-year-old Terence Crawford, who is moving up from 154. He argues that it's "Bull s***" for Canelo to choose Crawford for a title defense. Morrell points out that Canelo has fought Edgar Berlanga and Jaime Munguia instead of facing David Benavidez when he was the WBC mandatory. He also mentions that Canelo showed no interest in fighting Morrell when he held the WBA 'regular' belt at 168. This shows Canelo's inconsistent approach to choosing opponents.Canelo's defense against Jermell Charlo at 168 on September 30, 2023, was not a competitive matchup. Jermell is bigger and stronger than Crawford and looked weak against Canelo. This further supports Morrell's claim that Canelo should be fighting at his natural weight.

The Impact of Sanctioning Bodies on the Sport

Morrell is critical of the sanctioning bodies for allowing such fights to take place. He believes that it's pathetic when Canelo defends his super middleweight title against someone from 154, like Jermell Charlo, who has never fought at 168 before. This shows a lack of respect for the weight divisions and the integrity of the sport.Morrell vs. Benavidez: A Real Fight at 175Morrell is set to defend his WBA 'regular' light heavyweight title against David Benavidez on February 1st at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. He considers this fight to be the best in 2025, a clash between Cuba and Mexico with two young fighters.Morrell challenges the notion that Benavidez is a bully. He says that if you stand up to Benavidez, he won't be as tough. Benavidez hasn't fought a 50-50 match-up in years and could have tested himself earlier by moving up to light heavyweight.Morrell's debut at 175 against Radivoje Kalajdzic on August 3rd was a success. He looked good, hurting Kalajdzic several times and winning a one-sided 12-round unanimous decision. This shows his potential at the new weight division.In conclusion, David Morrell's views on the potential Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight and his own fight against David Benavidez highlight the issues and opportunities in the boxing world. These fights have the potential to shape the future of the sport and determine the legacies of the fighters involved.