By Norm Frauenheim
LAS VEGAS — If trash talk is a reliable way to measure David Benavidez’ readiness, it’s at the top of the scale and climbing just a few days before he faces David Morrell Saturday in a bout as big as any in his career.
Benavidez welcomed a crowd of gamblers, guests and fans on the MGM Grand’s casino floor Wednesday with promises and threats about what he intends to do to Morrell at the nearby T-Mobile Arena in a light-heavyweight eliminator streamed by Amazon Prime.
“I’m going to beat the bleep out of him,’’ Benavidez (29-0, 21 KOs) shouted as he stepped into the ring for a public workout that included three-year-old son, Anthony, who imitated his father with a display of fast hands and a playful look.
Subtract a bleep or two, and Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) said pretty much the same thing to a crowd of fans anxious to see the former Cuban amateur, now a left-handed light-heavyweight living in Minneapolis.
If the trash-talk exchange sounds familiar, it is. Benavidez, a Phoenix fighter now living in Miami, shouted some of the same insults with the same intensity at Caleb Plant before he scored a punishing super-middleweight decision over Plant in March 2023 at the MGM Grand.
Benavidez and Plant exchanged profane threats then. They also exchanged hugs after it was all over.
“Truth is, I always hate the guys I’m about to fight,’’ said Benavidez, whose older brother, Phoenix-born fighter Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-3-1, 19 KOs), is also scheduled for the undercard in an eight-rounder against Danny Rosenberger (28-9-4, 10 KOs), a junior-middleweight from Youngstown, Ohio. “But this time, the guy is promising to beat me up, knock me out. All of that makes me respond. I never been more ready to beat the bleep out someone more than I am this guy.’’
Benavidez, who said he was ready for Morrell’s southpaw style, also enters the clash — David-versus-David — with some intriguing help from one of the best light-heavyweights ever.
Andre Ward, who retired unbeaten, spent some time with Benavidez in a training camp that was divided between Miami and Las Vegas.
“It was good,’’ said Benavidez, who spent time with Ward during the Vegas half of the camp. “We talked about a lot of stuff. The biggest thing is something you’ll see Saturday. He told me to keep my lead hand up. There were other things. But that’s help I’ll use right away.’’