Aidos Yerbossynuly isn’t intimidated by the background of David Morrell, his opponent Saturday in Minneapolis (Showtime).
Morrell learned the topes in the Cuban amateur system, which has universal respect. That foundation is a key reason he’s fighting at the highest level of the sport even though he has had only seven professional fights.
Yerbossynuly, a Las Vegas-based Kazakh, suggests that we don’t get carried away when it comes to his fellow super middleweight contender.
“We respect the Cubans and their skills,” said Yerbossynuly, who took the fight on short notice when Yoelvis Gomez pulled out with an injury. “But in the pros, there aren’t as many good fighters as in the amateurs.
“Whatever he has learned, I have those same skills. We both have power in both hands, and I’m going to let my fists speak for me. … There is nothing about David Morrell Jr. that concerns me.
“The danger with boxing is that every fighter is coming to hurt you. Every boxer is dangerous. There’s nothing special about him. I think that we are evenly matched fighters but the difference on Saturday night is going to be that I’m the smarter fighter and I want it more.”
Morrell’s reaction to that?
Well, Yerbossynuly’s comments seem to have stoked Morrell’s patriotic fire even though he defected from Cuba and is based in the town that’s hosting the fight on Saturday. He’s so motivated that he has predicted an eighth-round knockout.
“A hundred percent I’m coming for the knockout,” he said. “He’s the one that’s asking for it. It’s going to be for my team and for Cuban boxing. You don’t mess with the people of Cuba. …
“I feel bad for Aidos. He has no idea what’s going on and he doesn’t know anything about boxing history. I’m going to teach him on fight night. I’m taking him to school. He has it coming.”
The fact Yerbossynuly (16-0, 11 KOs) is even getting an opportunity to fight in a main event on Showtime is a career milestone. If he can pull off an upset, he would be in prime position to fight for a world title.
Of course, he’s expecting nothing less than a victory against the WBA’s secondary titleholder. Then he hopes to fight top 168-pound contender David Benavidez and eventually undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez.
He scoffed at the knockout prediction. He suggested that it might be Morrell (7-0, 6 KOs) who ends up being stopped.
“If he’s promising something to his fans, he might have to apologize to them after he loses,” Yerbossynuly said. “I’m definitely coming to stop Morrell in this fight. I trained hard and I’m here to get the belt.
“If I get past David Morrell Jr. on Saturday, then I’d like to fight David Benavidez next. I’ve sparred with Canelo Alvarez before and I respect him. To get that fight, I have to prove myself first. That’s why I want to face Morrell and Benavidez back-to-back.”
Morrell also wants Benavidez in what would be his ninth fight. However, in spite of his prognostication, he insists his focus is on Yerbossynuly.
“I’m excited for my second opportunity fighting on Showtime,” he said. “I hope he’s not too hungry, because I’m not giving him anything to eat on Saturday night. I’m more focused and locked in than ever thanks to [trainer] Ronnie Shields and my whole team.
“I appreciate Aidos stepping up to this fight, but now it’s time to show what I can do. I’m going to show the rest of the division what’s in store for them.”
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