Chelli’s Challenge to Benavidez
“Indeed, I am very keen on that bout,” Chelli communicated to Ring Magazine when questioned about facing Benavidez. “He appears to be quite a formidable Mexican fighter, so I might just avoid him. Just joking, I truly desire it.”
“Bring on any opponent, honestly. Whoever. Benavidez didn’t achieve that outcome against him; I did. I will pursue whatever I wish for next. Consequently, I am content.”
Earlier this year, Benavidez secured a unanimous decision victory over Morrell but was unable to achieve a stoppage despite repeatedly causing damage throughout their match. Chelli accomplished what Benavidez could not, systematically breaking down Morrell late in the fight and securing a finish in the tenth round.
“During the opening round, my thought was, ‘His strikes lack power, and I’m effectively evading him,’” Chelli stated. “I landed a right hand, and observed him recoil somewhat. It became clear to me, ‘My right hand is bothering him.’”
“My plan was to soften him up gradually, then land the decisive blow at the opportune moment.”
The win came with minimal preparation time after Callum Smith withdrew due to injury. Chelli mentioned that Morrell’s team requested the fight be held at 178 pounds and for ten rounds instead of the standard twelve, yet he promptly agreed.
“We conceded every advantage to him because we have faith in our abilities,” Chelli remarked. “I was prepared, and that’s what truly counted.”
Improbable Matchup
A potential fight between Chelli and Benavidez currently seems unlikely. Benavidez is actively pursuing a championship unification bout against Dmitry Bivol, who holds the WBA, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles. Furthermore, Chelli enters this discussion without a title and possesses limited recognition in the United States, despite his surprising triumph over Morrell.
