A career-defining bout with two undefeated fighters promises a great night of boxing. On Saturday, November 25, David Benavidez will face Demetrius Andrade at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
The WBC interim Super Middleweight title is on the line, and even more importantly, an opportunity to face Canelo Alvarez in a fight that would decide who is the best at 168.
Former two-division champion, Andrade is one of the most avoided fighters out there. A professional for more than 16 years, with a record of 32-0, it’s strange that his first career-defining fight came at 36 years of age. Andrade started as a light middleweight, went up in weight, and finally settled down at 168. Boo Boo’s biggest weapon could be his unconventional crouching style. Combined with decent power and good timing, it might just be enough to stop Benavidez.
On the other side, Andrade only had one fight in the last two years. He soundly defeated Demond Nicholson, but is that enough to prepare him for Saturday night? His resume could also be a problem. Besides Nicholson, Boo Boo’s best wins are Jason Quigley and Liam Williams. His fights look impressive, but he never faced a top-level opposition. If we add some ring rust and his age, this could be a very hard night for this Providence native.
Unlike Andrade, Benavidez is active, with his last win against very capable and battle-proven Caleb Plant. Standing 6’2’’ with a 75’’ reach, David has a clear size advantage. In his win against Plant, he threw an average of 66.7 punches per round, much more than Plant and much more than the average super middleweight.
With exceptional stamina, Benavidez proved that he can carry his high work rate into the championship rounds. On top of this, ‘El monstruo’ has a pretty good hand speed and always throws in combinations, which could overwhelm Andrade. But, going forward and pressing the fight leaves more than enough space for a good counterpuncher, and David was already on the canvas once in his career.
Prediction? A tough one to call. Andrade will be on his rare foot, waiting and countering, fighting on spots, which could slow down the fight a little bit. Size, youth, and stamina are on Davis’s side. If his chin holds, he will probably overwhelm Boo Boo, as he did with Plant and Lemieux.
It’s do-or-die for both fighters. Whatever the outcome, hopefully, we get to see a good fight.
What is your prediction?