WBC interim light heavyweight champion David Benavidez is setting his sights on a new challenge, insisting that his next big fight take place in Las Vegas. After a hard-fought 12-round unanimous decision win over WBA ‘regular’ champion David Morrell at the T-Mobile Arena, Benavidez is eager to face the winner of the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 clash.
In his bout against Morrell, Benavidez weathered a challenging fight that saw him dropped in the 11th round, with the judges scoring the contest 115-111, 115-111, and 118-108 in his favor. Despite the heavy shots that left his face noticeably marked, he proved his willingness to endure and come out on top against a formidable opponent.
Benavidez made it clear that he prefers his next fight to be staged in the U.S. rather than in Saudi Arabia. "My fan base is here. I’m a Las Vegas fighter. I would love to go over there [Riyadh] and fight, but I feel this is my market right here," he stated. His remarks emphasize a strategic move to capitalize on the supportive Las Vegas crowd that has become a key part of his recent success.
At the post-fight press conference, Benavidez reinforced his readiness to take on the best available opponent. "I’m willing to fight the best of whoever is on the table. I’m just going to keep doing that, because after I beat Bivol or Beterbiev, there’s always going to be new fighters coming up," he added. Though he acknowledged that his performance against Morrell was not his best, his focus remains on leveraging his home market to stage an even bigger showdown against either Beterbiev or Bivol.
Get to know more about upcoming Bivol vs. Beterbiev 2 event.
Image Credit: Matchroom Boxing