The highly-anticipated light heavyweight showdown between rising stars David Morrell and David Benavidez got a little extra heat on Tuesday. The two men came together for a media workout event ahead of their Feb. 1 meeting.
With Morrell already on the stage, Benavidez joined him and extended a hand for a handshake. Morrell stood stone still, staring Benavidez down. Benavidez responded with a grin and some trash talk before delivering hard shove to Morrell's chest as Morrell began to respond.
As the two fighters were separated, Morrell threw his WBA "regular" championship belt at Benavidez. The fighters were kept apart, stopping the situation from escalating any further.
Benavidez and Morrell were both elite contenders at 168 pounds but neither was able to secure a big-money fight with previously undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez. Rather than waiting for an opportunity that seemed it would never materialize, both fighters decided to make the move up to light heavyweight where there were more options. Benavidez bested Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June to claim the interim WBC title in the division.
Morrell, meanwhile, took care of business against Radivoje Kalajdzic in his debut at 175 pounds.
The winner of Benavidez vs. Morrell will become a mandatory challenger for the winner of the Feb. 22 rematch for the undisputed light heavyweight championship between champion Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.