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 struggle in opposition to 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 in opposition to unified mild 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 arduous and compelled to struggle more durable than he usually does.
The ‘Mexican Monster’ Benavidez did not put on Gvozdyk down within the first half of the struggle the best way he does to his smaller opposition at 168, so he couldn’t rely on approaching within the second half as a result of he was compelled to expend a lot power with the strain 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 needs Benavidez to struggle thie winner of the October twelfth undisputed mild heavyweight championship between Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
The cash Benavidez will obtain preventing the winner of that struggle 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 struggle so robust,” stated Lionell Thompson to Fighthype, speaking about David Benavidez’s debut at mild heavyweight in opposition to Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June fifteenth.
“Somebody like Artur [Beterbiev], who’s going to be in your each second of each spherical, who punches extraordinarily arduous, David will get destroyed. Benavidez is shifting again all the way 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 on the subject of these huge 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 all the way down to 168. I’m a monster at that weight. These huge guys, these guys my measurement? No, I’m not an elite man at this weight,’” stated Thompson.
If Benavidez does face IBF/WBC/WBO mild heavyweight champion Beterbiev (20-0, 20KOs), he’ll seemingly 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 strain earlier than stopping him within the seventh spherical. Smith is a much bigger puncher than Benavidez, however he couldn’t maintain Beterbiev off regardless of touchdown some large photographs.
Beterbiev walked by means of the punches and stored 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 in opposition to a smaller physique, however now he’s in there with a man [Gvozdyk] that punches again that’s huge and may take the punishment and provides some,” stated Thompson. “We see him fade. At mild heavyweight, he’s simply one other first rate good boxer.”
Benavidez had a tough time beating Caleb Plant, defending him by a hard-fought 12-round unanimous resolution final yr.
Now that Benavidez is popping to the 168-lb division after carrying extra weight at 175, he may not be pretty much as good as he was prior 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 best way he has.
“If he actually wished to impress me, he would struggle Artur. Sure,” stated Thompson when requested if Benavidez can beat Canelo Alvarez. “David took some huge photographs from an enormous man [Gvozdyk]. I can’t see David being that robust.
Benavidez received’t struggle Beterbiev if Artur loses his struggle in opposition to Bivol on October twelfth. He’ll be off the hook if that occurs and would face Bivol. That will be an equally powerful struggle however differently. Bivol’s mixture punching and boxing abilities shall be an excessive amount of for Benavidez.
“That man [Gvozdyk] can punch. He put Adonis Stevenson on life assist. I can’t see Canelo maintaining David off him. I believe he’s too small for David,” stated Thompson.
