Benavidez Expected A Tougher Challenge from Andrade
David Benavidez expected Demetrius Andrade to put up a better fight in their WBC super middleweight interim title fight.
The Mexican Monster dominated the fight to stop his opponent after the sixth round as Andrade’s team threw in the towel. A huge right hand in the fourth round sent Andrade to the canvas, as it was all one-way traffic from thereon. Prior to the fight, however, there was an expectation that Andrade would prove to be a huge test.
He is a two-weight world champion at 154 and 160 pounds, and he was undefeated before the fight. This, in addition to his southpaw stance, made it a potentially tricky fight. However, Andrade failed to deliver on the biggest night of his career, leaving Benavidez in position to face Canelo Alvarez for the undisputed title. And looking back, the Mexican was disappointed at the lack of a challenge presented.
Benavidez On Andrade
“Honestly, he wasn’t as tough as I thought he was gonna be. I think I just prepared myself to a different level. I think I’m just entering my prime,” Benavidez said
Despite this being the case, Andrade’s trainer, Andre Rozier, has picked Canelo to beat Benavidez. There is now an expectation that Benavidez and Canelo will face off next year on either Cinco de Mayo Weekend or Mexican Independence Day.
Canelo’s experience of having faced big hitters such as Gennady Golovkin in three fights, as well as moving up to 175 to face Sergey Kovalev has given the Mexican ample opportunities to feel the power at the hands of bigger fighters.
And given that Alvarez did not hit the canvas in those fights, the undisputed super middleweight champion had shown that he was capable of taking a shot. That has earned him titles in four different divisions, which is why Rozier backed him to come out on top.
Andrade’s Trainer
“If they fight in May 2024, I have to stick with the guy that is laying the plan down. I have to stick with Canelo. The reason why is the intangibles. The intangibles are his [Canelo] ability to sustain punishment. We saw in the two Golovkin fights by one of the hardest punchers in boxing, especially in the middleweight division, and someone that can really box. Benavidez is a fantastic fighter. His thing is pressure to break you. Canelo has so many overall weapons, that I would have to side with him in that fight. His [Canelo] defense is really, really good. It would be better than good for that fight,” Rozier
Nevertheless, there are a few hurdles that need to be overcome before that fight can happen. Since Showtime will leave boxing at the end of the year, PBC is looking for a new network. And until that happens, the fight may be some way off.
In addition, there is the possibility of more than one fight between the pair. Alvarez has two fights left on his PBC deal, which could include two fights against Benavidez with one being the rematch. Either way, the fight promises to deliver fireworks. And there is no getting away from that. ‘Find all the latest boxing news and MMA breaking updates on boxingnews.com’
