By Craig Daly: Demetrius Andrade believes he’ll be able to match the power of WBC interim super middleweight champion David Benavidez when they meet in December.
Andrade (32-0, 19 KOs) is bulking up to prepare for the fight and adding power. The 2008 U.S. Olympian and former two-division world champion Andrade feels he’s a better athlete than Benaavidez, who is just a guy who pressures his opponents.
Benavidez can’t afford to be wreckless against the southpaw Andrade because he’s got the power and the skills to take him out if he blindly attacks like he’s done his whole career.
It’s important that the 26-year-old Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) get his weight right for this fight because he looked drained for his last contest in March against Caleb Plant.
Benavidez is at the end of making 168, and he really needs to move up to 175 or cruiserweight, whether he likes it or not. Killing himself to stay at 168 is pointless for Benavidez because Canelo Alvarez won’t fight him.
“I haven’t been in any crazy wars, so there’s a lot of fight in me. This is the fight that you’re going to be able to see what I’m made of as well, besides just the skillful part,” said Demetrius Andrade to Fighthype about his fight against David Benavidez.
“David, from the looks of it, is strong and big, but strong and big. My power is developing for the 168 class. I’m putting on the proper weight. I can match it. He’s [Benavidez] not no one-punch knockout artist.
“He does put his punches together. I’m happy for David Benavidez for having worked as hard as he has to be able to be in this position because boxing is not easy. Good, now we can make a great fight.
“I never thought of fighting David Benavidez because I thought my timing would be 154,160. It’s here now. I dare to be great. I dare to be a three-weight world champion, and he’s the starting point of that.
“I can become a three-time division champion, but Canelo has all the belts. That’s the whole fun & games. Just beating David Benavidez is a world championship in itself because he’s no push-around guy. He’s a real guy.
“What more can I do when this is the first time I’m getting a big-name fighter? Is that going to change after this fight to fight another big fight? David Benavidez might go up in the future. So who else is left after this fight at 168?
“Charlo? I don’t know where he’s at. Is it Caleb Plant? Is it Canelo? I don’t know, but I am a Hall of Fame person. I’ve done what a lot of people wouldn’t have been able to do.
“Buy the PPV and see what questions are answered,” said Andrade about the boxing fans who think he’ll gas out against Benaavidz. “My gas tank got me 32-0 with 19 knockouts. I don’t know what else to say.
“Don’t get it twisted. I’m fighting guys with the will, drive, and ability to want to make a change in their life. A lot of people I fight get up to fight me. I’m not saying I don’t. I do.
“In this case, it’s going to be time for me to get up. So it’s going to be a different ballgame. Every fight, I box, and every fight, I show that I got pop too.
