Lionell Thompson says David Benavidez is “not a monster at 175” as he was at 168. That’s why Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) is shifting again to 168 following his brutal combat towards Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his debut at 175 on June fifteenth.
Not an Elite Man at This Weight
Thompson, an excellent middleweight contender, feels that Benavidez is “simply one other first rate good boxer” at 175, however he can be “destroyed” going up towards unified gentle heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev.
Benavidez light within the second half of his win over Gvozdyk, and Thompson thinks that occurred as a result of he was being hit again onerous and compelled to combat more durable than he usually does.
The ‘Mexican Monster’ Benavidez didn’t put on Gvozdyk down within the first half of the combat the way in which he does to his smaller opposition at 168, so he couldn’t depend upon approaching within the second half as a result of he was pressured to expend a lot vitality with the stress he was being placed on him by Oleksandr early on.
Benavidez says he’s returning to the 168-lb division however intends to return to 175. His Excellency Turki Alalshikh desires Benavidez to combat thie winner of the October twelfth undisputed gentle heavyweight championship between Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
The cash Benavidez will obtain preventing the winner of that combat shall be too good for him to show down, so he’ll return and face his future.
Artur Beterbiev: The Actual Monster
“He began getting hit again, and David didn’t end the combat so sturdy,” stated Lionell Thompson to Fighthype, speaking about David Benavidez’s debut at gentle heavyweight towards Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June fifteenth.
“Somebody like Artur [Beterbiev], who’s going to be in your each second of each spherical, who punches extraordinarily onerous, David will get destroyed. Benavidez is shifting again right down to 168. I believe he is aware of, ‘This ain’t the identical.’
“Now David realizes, ‘I’m not a monster. I’m a monster on the decrease weight beating up on small guys. However in relation to these massive guys, I’m simply one other good fighter. I’m not a monster.’
“Artur is actual monster. So, I believe, he’s [Benavidez] like, ‘I’m going to return right down to 168. I’m a monster at that weight. These massive guys, these guys my measurement? No, I’m not an elite man at this weight,’” stated Thompson.
If Benavidez does face IBF/WBC/WBO gentle heavyweight champion Beterbiev (20-0, 20KOs), he’ll probably be chopped up the identical approach Callum Smith was earlier this yr on January thirteenth.
Beterbiev destroyed the previous WBA tremendous middleweight champion Smith, breaking him down with nonstop stress earlier than stopping him within the seventh spherical. Smith is a much bigger puncher than Benavidez, however he couldn’t preserve Beterbiev off regardless of touchdown some big pictures.
Beterbiev walked via the punches and saved pounding away on the stork-like 6’4″fighter till he was pulled out by his coach, James ‘Buddy’ McGirt, within the seventh.
Benavidez’s Future
“He [Benavidez] will get stronger within the second half towards a smaller physique, however now he’s in there with a man [Gvozdyk] that punches again that’s massive and may take the punishment and provides some,” stated Thompson. “We see him fade. At gentle heavyweight, he’s simply one other first rate good boxer.”
Benavidez had a troublesome time beating Caleb Plant, defending him by a hard-fought 12-round unanimous determination final yr.
Now that Benavidez is popping to the 168-lb division after carrying extra weight at 175, he may not be nearly as good as he was up to now as a result of it’s not simple for fighters to return to a division as soon as they’ve gone up in weight the way in which he has.
“If he actually needed to impress me, he would combat Artur. Sure,” stated Thompson when requested if Benavidez can beat Canelo Alvarez. “David took some massive pictures from a giant man [Gvozdyk]. I can’t see David being that sturdy.
Benavidez gained’t combat Beterbiev if Artur loses his combat towards Bivol on October twelfth. He’ll be off the hook if that occurs and would face Bivol. That might be an equally powerful combat however differently. Bivol’s mixture punching and boxing expertise shall be an excessive amount of for Benavidez.
“That man [Gvozdyk] can punch. He put Adonis Stevenson on life help. I can’t see Canelo retaining David off him. I believe he’s too small for David,” stated Thompson.
