David Benavidez says he’s going to use his combination punching and a fast start to score a knockout over the smaller, older Demetrius Andrade this Saturday night in their main event contest on Showtime PPV at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
WBC interim super middleweight champion Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) feels that he made a mistake of loading up on power shots in the first half of his last fight against Caleb Plant, and that’s why he was able to survive the twelve round distance.
When Benavidez did start throwing combinations in the second half of the fight, he inflicted a lot of punishment on the former IBF super middleweight champion Plant and cruised to victory.
Benavidez says his youth & power will be too much for Andrade
“I’m excited to show the people what I’ve got to offer on November 25th. He uses the ring really well, he has good defense, and he’s very technical. He keeps his distance well,” said David Benavidez to Boxing News when asked what Demetrius Andrade brings to the table for their fight this Saturday night.
“What I think will be the difference-maker in this fight is that I’m just too big, too powerful, and too young, and I want it. I worked extremely hard for this training camp. I had some great sparring partners, greatly lefties, and I think we emulated his style pretty good. We’re going to be ready for what comes our way on November 25th.”
In terms of punching power, Andrade is on the same level as Benavidez. They both throw with the same power, and Benavidez might be kidding himself if he believes he’s a big KO artist because he’s not. His knockouts come through his high-volume attacks against stationary opposition.
Benavidez hasn’t fought good opposition during his career so that obviously factors into why he’s been able to knock out a lot of his opponents. Plant is the only guy with a shred of talent that Benavidez has fought during his long ten-year professional career. Once you get past Plant, it’s a rag-tag group of C & D level opponents from this list:
- Ronald Ellis
- David Lemieux
- Kyrone Davis
- Roamer Alexis Angulo
- Ronald Gavril
- Anthony Dirrell
“I don’t have a problem with it at all,” said Benavidez about Andrade’s southpaw style. “I’ve fought only two lefties in my career, but I’ve sparred a lot of lefties, good lefties too.
“I don’t feel like it’s a difference, especially because we’ve been preparing for a lefty in the last three months. We studied him pretty good. I’m confident that we’re going to be ready for whatever he brings,” said Benavidez.
David to subdue Andrade with combination punching
“I think it’s going to be very similar,” said Benavidez when asked if Andrade is similar to what we saw in his last fight against Caleb Plant last March. “He moves around a lot, and he’ll probably be trying to clinch a lot too.”
Benavidez has got it wrong. Andrade fights nothing like Plant. The two are entirely different, and it would be a mistake for him to be assuming that Andrade is going to be using the same tactics that Plant did in their fight because they only similarity they have is them being mobile fighters. Apart from that, they have nothing similar about them.
“I feel like the experience that I had from my last fight is going to help me in this fight as well,” said Benavidez.
“I feel like he was in the same place that I was in, and people didn’t want to give him the fights,” said Benavidez about Andrade, who had been avoided through most of his fifteen-year professional career.
“So for me, I’m not afraid of nobody, and I’m really confident in my skills. I feel it was my obligation to make this fight with him, because we both need dance partners. You can’t do everything by yourself, and he’s a really good champion.
“I’m extremely confident of what I do, and I’m very sure I’m going to get him out of there, probably a late-round stoppage.
“The reason I didn’t get the stoppage was because in the beginning of the fight, I was too stiff,” said Benavidez on why he didn’t get a knockout against Plant. “With everything that was going on between me and Caleb Plant, I really wanted to hurt that guy with every shot.
“Towards the end of the fight, I was letting my hands go. So, I feel if I started like that, I would have gotten the knockout. Kenny Bayless played a role there, too. He was hugging a lot. So hopefully, the referee we have really catches that and doesn’t let him [Andrade] hug too much.
“I think if I start fast, throwing combinations instead of one big shot, I’m definitely going to get him out of there,” said Benavidez about his game plan for Andrade on Saturday night.
Will Size play a factor?
“Obviously, I’m the bigger guy. If you see Demetrius, he’s really talented and has a lot of skills, but he’s been hurt quite a few times, and that was by little guys at 154 and at 160,” said Benavidez. “He’s never fought anybody with the type of power that I have and the type of speed and the type of combinations that I throw.”
Size might not play much of a factor in this fight because 6’1″ Andrade is close to the same height and reach as the 6’2″ Benavidez.
Weight-wise, Benavidez will probably have a 15-20 lb weight advantage on the night of the fight, but that won’t help him unless he can lean on Andrade or wrestle.
Being lighter than Benavidez could help Andrade, as he can move around and stay away from being a sitting duck like most of the guys that have faced him.
“I really think that’s going to make a difference, especially since he’s barely coming up to 168, and I feel like this is probably my last fights at 168, and my frame is bigger,” said Benavidez. “So, I’m extremely ready for this.
“I definitely feel like I’m going to come into my prime in the next year. I feel more focused. Not only coming into my prime but also as a man. I feel like I’ve matured.
“I know exactly what I want in my career, and I know exactly what it takes to get there. So, I feel like I’m on another level right now,” Benavidez said.
Benavidez to move up to 175 soon
“I would definitely want to go up and challenge for the belts,” said Benavidez about his wanting to fight for the undisputed at 175 against Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev.
“I sparred with Bivol. I did very well. I used to spar him a lot back then when I was 21, 22. I can definitely win that fight. It wouldn’t be easy, but it’s a fight that can be won. I’d definitely be willing to go up to 175 to fight for the belts if I’m given the opportunity.
“I just want the fans to tune in on the 25th. It’s going to be a great fight. Not only mine and Andrade’s fight is going to be great, but my brother vs. [Jermall] Charlo fight is going to be great too, and I guarantee you guys that you’re going to get your money’s worth. It’s going to be a great fight. It’s going to be a great night for Team Benavidez,” said David.
