David Benavidez Warns Anthony Yarde: ‘If He’s Not 100%, It’s Going to Be a Problem’ Ahead of Riyadh Showdown

WBC gentle heavyweight champion David Benavidez says he’s properly conscious that #4 Anthony Yarde is a “harmful” opponent for him, and he’s not overlooking the risk he brings to their essential occasion battle on November 22, 2025, on the ANB Area in Riyadh.

It’s essential that Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) performs properly on this combat, as he’s on Turki Alalshikh’s card and it’s a headliner on DAZN PPV. If Benavidez wins and appears spectacular, he may very well be going through Artur Beterbiev subsequent in what may very well be a career-high payday.

“That is his third try at a title. It is a man who has his again towards the wall. He’s a harmful man,” mentioned David Benavidez to the 411 Expertise, speaking about his combat towards Anthony Yarde on November 22. “I prefer it once I go up towards an individual with nothing to lose.

“I hope he comes 100% for his security as a result of if he doesn’t, it’s going to be an issue. It’s going to be an issue for him even at 100%,” mentioned Benavidez.

Yarde at all times fights at “100%,” and he’ll be bringing it much more so on this combat, on condition that he’s preventing within the headliner spot on Turki Alalshikh’s occasion in Riyadh. Going up towards WBC gentle heavyweight champion Benavidez will push Yarde much more, as a result of he’s know what he’s going through.

Furthermore, if Yarde wins this combat, it’ll put him in place to combat IBF, WBA, and WBO gentle heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed championship. There’s some huge cash to be constructed from that conflict.

‘The Mexican Monster’ Benavidez predicts that Yarde, 33, will make it an entertaining combat for the followers by the best way he’ll come out slugging on November twenty second. Like he talked about, Yarde’s again is towards the wall after having failed in his two earlier tries at profitable a world title in knockout losses to Artur Beterbiev and Sergey Kovalev.

What offers Yarde an opportunity on this combat is that Benavidez hasn’t proven the identical energy within the 175-lb division that he did at 168. The high-volume fashion that he makes use of has resulted in him getting hit lots and being harm in his two fights at gentle heavyweight towards David Morrell and Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

If Yarde can land his finest photographs towards Benavidez, he’s received an opportunity to knock him out or harm him badly sufficient to attain knockdowns. Benavidez absorbed a whole lot of punishment in his final combat towards the Cuban Morrell on February 1, 2025. We don’t know the way he’ll reply to taking laborious punches from Yarde after what he went by way of towards Morrell.

Benavidez believes this combat is his “second” to shine, and he feels he’s within the prime of his profession at 28. He turns 29 on December 17, 2025, and he says he’s received at the very least 15 extra years left in his profession earlier than retiring. Nevertheless, Benavidez states that retiring at 40 is his objective.