Net host Teddy Atlas believes former two-time tremendous middleweight champion David Benavidez confirmed that he has the expertise to compete at mild heavyweight after watching him defeat former 175-lb champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June fifteenth.
Atlas feels that Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) has the dangerous luck that the highest two mild heavyweights, Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, are so nice.
These are two fights for ‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez, particularly given his limitations in his sport in opposition to an ageing Gvozdyk. Atlas didn’t come proper out and say that Benavidez can’t beat Bivol and Beterbiev, nevertheless it’s implied.
A Sea of Sharks
Benavidez’s high-volume offense, lack of energy, and poor stamina would make him a prey fish for WBA mild heavyweight champion Bivol and IBF/WBC/WBO champ Beterbiev, not solely in opposition to them.
Benavidez would have huge issues in opposition to these sharks: Willy Hutchinson, Anthony Yarde, and Joshua Buatsi. Fortuitously for Benavidez, he’s been sped to the highest of the 175-lb division, leapfrogging these fighters to be given an opportunity for a cash struggle in opposition to the Bivol-Beterbiev winner of their October twelfth struggle.
In different phrases, the boxing enterprise takes over, permitting Benavidez to maneuver to the highest of the meals chain while not having to earn the chance.
Outmatched Towards the Elite
“It’s not that he can’t go as much as mild heavyweight. His downside is who’s there,” mentioned net host Teddy Atlas on his YouTube channel, discussing whether or not David Benavidez can slot in at mild heavyweight after transferring up from 168 just lately to defeat Gvozdyk on June fifteenth.
Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) moved up in weight to 175 to seize the WBC interim mild heavyweight belt in an eliminator in opposition to an ageing, past-his-prime Gvozdyk to place himself in place for an enormous payday in opposition to the winner of the October twelfth undisputed championship between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
“That could be the issue for Benavidez. It’s not that he can’t go as much as mild heavyweight,” mentioned Atlas. “He confirmed me. You’re prepared. Now you’re speaking about going again right down to tremendous middleweight, so you may have choices.
Extra Than Simply Bivol and Beterbiev
The WBC made it straightforward for the 27-year-old Benavidez by sanctioning a struggle between him and the 37-year-old Gvozdyk, who had only recently come out of a four-year retirement, fairly than ordering a more durable match in opposition to Joshua Buatsi, Willy Hutchinson or Anthony Yarde.
“You’re hoping nonetheless to get the Canelo struggle perhaps to get a giant boatload of cash, however you haven’t any downside for me at mild heavyweight proving what you proved the opposite night time,” mentioned Atlas about Benavidez speaking about returning to 168 to proceed his pursuit of a profitable, life-changing payday in opposition to the famous person Canelo Alvarez, which has to date been illusive to him. “Your downside is who’s there [Beterbiev and Bivol].
It’s a mistake for Benavidez to return to tremendous middleweight as a result of he’s going to place his physique by hell to maneuver again down in weight, and he nonetheless doubtless received’t get a cash struggle that he’s returning to the division in opposition to Canelo.
If Benavidez fights anybody good at 168, like David Morrell, he’ll doubtless lose, completely destroy his probabilities for a Canelo struggle, or face the Bivol vs. Beterbiev winner.
Benavidez is seen as a cruiserweight who melts down in weight to compete at 168, however he ought to keep at 175 if he needs to present himself an opportunity, as slight because it could be, to defeat Bivol or Beterbiev.
I don’t see Benavidez beating both of them, however he has a greater probability of acclimatizing himself to the load class by staying there and combating somebody proficient like Morrell. He most likely received’t as a result of it’s too dangerous to face Morrell, and he’s proven little interest in combating him.
“It’s not that you would be able to’t deal with the sunshine heavyweight division or the change of weight,” mentioned Atlas. “It’s the truth that two of the sunshine heavyweights occur to be there, named Bivol and Beterbiev. That’s the issue. They’re not simply unusual mild heavyweights. Apart from that, he [Benavidez] confirmed me nothing that advised me that he can’t make that transfer up.”
Overlooking the Larger Image
Benavidez may have issues in opposition to different mild heavyweights, not simply Bivol and Beterbiev. Atlas is short-sighted by failing to notice the opposite proficient fighters within the mild heavyweight division who’re younger, harmful, and higher fighters than the man that Benavidez simply struggled to beat, Gvozdyk.
Maybe the outdated coach Atlas hasn’t been maintaining with who competes at 175 as a result of if he did, he’d understand that 4 fighters would have a great opportunity of beating Benavidez and sending him packing. These 4 are these guys:
- David Morrell
- Willy Hutchinson
- Anthony Yarde
- Joshua Buatsi
“He received what he wanted. I do know lots of people needed a knockout, however he received a sensible view of what he would want to do and proceed to do and coping with to proceed combating at mild heavyweight,” mentioned Atlas about David Benavidez.
