Comments Thread For: By changing boxing's script, David Benavidez believes he can be its leading man
Lance Pugmire spoke to David Benavidez at the final press conference before his fight with David Morrell about his desire to become the face of boxing
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Unlike football, basketball and scores of other sports, Boxing is a niche sport in the USA with which no broad-based support and little to no coverage in the popular media. Neither Benavidez nor his dad, nor his promoter will appeal to the U.S public writ large. Benavidez will never breakthrough beyond his small niche following, and many of these are Canelo haters first and foremost. Once Canelo is out of the boxing limelight their interest in Benavidez will vanish. In some sense boxing is less a sport and more a series of events, rituals, and shows contrived to stir interest. Only a handful of boxers in a generation ever make an impact on the general public. These folks like Ali, Mayweather, De La Hoya and Canelo, have a special quaility that 99.99% of the others don't have.
Unlike the good ole USA, where boxing is less than an after thought, it is a very popular sport in Mexico, perhaps second only to futbol. I know Benavidez claims he represents Mexico but infortunately for him Mexicans now the difference. He can wear as many Mexican sombreros in his ring walks as he wants but Mexicans know a cheap marketing ploy when they see it. They do not substitute Mexican Americans for Mexicans in their loyalties. They will champion their own just as we respect other boxers but champion ours.
Love that both of these guys saw the writing on the wall, realized big fights were not coming to them, and just said "screw it" and signed to fight each other as opposed to scrubs. To the winner comes some great headlines, and the loser will still be marketable so long as the fight was intense.
“Darn near killed a man,” according to an eyewitness to Morrell’s hospitalized second-round knockout victim. (he's talking about Sena Agbeko)
That would be the second time it happens, after Morrell did the same to Aidos Yerbossynuly two fights prior to Agbeko.
It may have been precautionary and not like Aidos. Results of an MRI earlier that year prevented Agbeko from fighting or getting licensed in NV, but then he got a second opinion and was cleared to fight Morrell.
Morrell looking big and strong, and not intimidated. This could be really really good! Maybe we'll get lucky and get a great trilogy! Good luck to both.
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