Jim Lampley, the previous HBO commentator, says David Benavidez will now be an underdog in opposition to WBA gentle heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol based mostly on his efficiency final Saturday night time in opposition to Oleksandr Gvozdyk in Las Vegas.
(Picture credit score: Esther Lin/Premier Boxing Champions)
Benavidez’s Restricted Choices
Lampley feels that Benavidez’s choices are restricted after he struggled in opposition to the previous WBC gentle heavyweight champion Gvozdyk (20-2, 16 KOs). He notes that Benavidez’s energy wasn’t as efficient at 175 because it had been at 168, and he light within the second half of the competition.
Benavidez nonetheless emerged victorious, profitable a 12-round unanimous determination by the scores of 116-112, 117-111, and 119-109.
Benavidez’s efficiency didn’t match the judges’ rating, and few folks imagine he has any probability of beating Bivol or IBF/WBC/WBO gentle heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev.
Benavidez’s Possibilities In opposition to Bivol and Beterbiev
Lampley mentioned that he received’t even point out Beterbiev, that means he doesn’t see Benavidez standing any probability of beating him. That’s how followers view it after watching how ineffective Benavidez regarded in opposition to the 37-year-old Gvozdyk, a fighter Beterbiev knocked out 5 years in the past and despatched into retirement.
“I definitely assume if Benavidez doesn’t get a combat in opposition to Canelo, he’s an underdog in opposition to Dmitry Bivol, and we’re not even going to speak about Beterbiev,” mentioned analyst Jim Lampley to Sean Zittel, discussing David Benavidez’s probabilities in opposition to WBA gentle heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol after his less-than-spectacular efficiency in his debut at 175 in opposition to former WBC champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk final Saturday night time.
Canelo Alvarez: A Potential Alternative?
“David Benavidez’s choices are considerably restricted based mostly on what we noticed. He’s obtained to hope that Canelo Alvarez will change his thoughts and determine to combat him. Perhaps he’ll like what he noticed from a 168-lb fighter who moved as much as 175 and didn’t have as a lot pop as many individuals anticipated, together with me.”
I don’t assume Canelo goes to vary his thoughts about wanting $200 million for a combat in opposition to Benavidez as a result of he’s talked an excessive amount of trash about him in the previous few years.
Canelo received’t get any credit score if he beats Benavidez now as a result of followers noticed how poor he regarded in opposition to Gvozyk, and plenty of of them now view him as a hype job who constructed his resume off of fastidiously picked opponents.
“I predicted a knockout for Benavidez, and within the early rounds, I assumed that was what I used to be going to see [against Gvozdyk], after which he appeared to fade just a little bit in opposition to a extremely good skilled veteran fighter with quite a bit to combat for,” mentioned Lampley.
The previous HBO play-by-play host Lampley ought to have identified higher than to select Benavidez to knockout Gvozdyk as a result of that will by no means occur.
Benavidez is a quantity puncher, and there was no probability that he would get away with combating that method in opposition to Gvozdyk, whose technical expertise and energy had been good for him to arrange store standing in entrance of him, throwing nonstop punches the best way he’d accomplished at 168 in opposition to marginal opposition.
“Perhaps the seven kilos made a distinction in how heavy David’s punches had been, and he needed to climate the momentary storm and go away with a call victory,” mentioned Lampley.
“I feel he slowed sufficient within the second half of the combat the place Canelo will wish to study the cash and see precisely how a lot it’s value to him to go in and take no matter threat inherent in combating David Benavidez.”
Benavidez began slowing after the fourth spherical final Saturday night time and regarded exhausted and weak. His energy was by no means there from spherical one, however that wasn’t a shock as a result of Benavidez has by no means been a puncher at 168. His knockouts have principally come from his quantity punching, hitting his opponents with an accumulation of pictures.
“Perhaps after him, he’ll assume, ‘There’s no threat in any respect. I’m Canelo Alvarez. I’ve probably the most confirmed punch resistance within the sport. He’s not going to harm me,’” mentioned Lampley.
“I feel there’s a chance right here for Canelo to assume precisely that based mostly on what he noticed. Is Canelo an even bigger puncher than Oleksandr Gvozdyk? I feel he’s. There’s numerous methods for Canelo to take a look at this and assume, ‘I’m a favourite over David Benavidez,’” mentioned Lampley.
