On November 25th, David Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) will take on his toughest challenge to date when he faces undefeated two-time division champion Demetrius Andrade (32-0, 19 KOs) at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Andrade is a slick tactical boxer who knows how to utilize distance and range to make his opponents miss. His opponent’s total connect percentage is a low 17.9 percent (Compubox). Benavidez has struggled against boxers who are agile, elusive, and utilize lateral movement.
Former IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant (22-2, (13 KOs) was able to successfully box David in the early rounds until ultimately tiring and succumbing to David’s pressuring attack.
Demetrius Andrade has the skills and ability to outpoint Benavidez, but doing so will pose extremely difficult. As Caleb Plant discovered, David has the stamina to pressure his opponents for the full twelve rounds.
Benavidez has the highest total connect percentage in boxing at 38.9 percent (Compubox) because he is relentless in his attack. He punishes his opponents with blistering combinations, breaking them down round by round until, ultimately, they give out.
Against Andrade, Benavidez must be smart and use strategic movement. Effectively cutting the ring and changing the pace by baiting Andrade to come to him. Demetrius will seek to make this a boxing match; he can only outpoint Benavidez if he connects.
If Benavidez simply chases Andrade around the ring, he could fall trap to fighting Andrade’s fight. Benavidez must strategically pressure him, trapping him into corners and placing him against the ropes, then punishing him with blistering combinations.
This is only Andrade’s second match at 168 pounds, Benavidez could test his chin and put him on the canvas if he timely counters him. Vanes Martirosyan (36-4-1, 21KOs) was able to drop Andrade with a left hook back in 2013 at 154 pounds.
For Andrade, the big question is, can he at 35 withstand the punishment from Benavidez, and is he agile and elusive enough to outpoint the 26-year-old? Anthony Dirrell (34-3-2, 25 KOs), at 34 years of age, found limited success in jabbing David’s midsection and then moving out of range.
If Demetrius can effectively employ this strategy along with utilizing angles and lateral movement, he could potentially outpoint Benavidez.
