David Benavidez blasted David Morrell toward the end of their contentious meeting Tuesday in Miami.

They already had been separated after a photo opportunity turned physical in the ring at BOXR Gym when Benavidez began to question Morrell’s commitment to comprehensive drug testing in advance of their showdown February 1 in Las Vegas. A demonstrative Benavidez yelled that Morrell and his team hesitated to enroll in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association’s program for random blood and urine examinations, which tests for approximately 200 banned substances both before and after fights.

An incredulous Luis De Cubas, Morrell’s manager, contested Benavidez’s version of events. And with good reason, it turns out.

The Ring has confirmed through multiple sources that Morrell actually signed up for VADA testing November 26, one day before Benavidez submitted his paperwork. Benavidez a longtime participant in the WBC’s “Clean Boxing Program,” seemingly misunderstood any hint of hesitation on Morrell’s behalf to be thoroughly tested while training near Houston for their 12-round pay-per-view main event at T-Mobile Arena.

That didn’t stop him from lambasting the Cuban southpaw as they traded insults Tuesday.

“Why’d it take you guys so long to do the VADA test?,” Benavidez said. “And now you guys wanna talk about that. We were calling you and we were calling Luis DeCubas. And you guys said, ‘Oh, next week. Next week.’ No, no, no. F*** that. F*** that. You wanna talk about that? I had to call PBC and tell ‘em if we didn’t take the VADA test that we were gonna cancel the whole f***ing fight. Because you guys didn’t wanna f***ing test. Now we’re drug testing. Now we’re drug testing. Now we’re drug testing.”

Members of Morrell’s team pointed out that their fighter fully participated in VADA testing for prior bouts. They also have noted that controversial strength and conditioning coach Angel “Memo” Heredia is part of Benavidez’s team for this fight.

Heredia previously worked with Phoenix’s Benavidez in preparation for his victories over Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade in 2023. Benavidez has never failed a PED test, but he was stripped of his WBC super middleweight title because he tested positive for cocaine in August 2018.

Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) is ranked No. 2 among The Ring’s light heavyweight contenders for champion Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs). Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) is rated No. 8 by The Ring.