David Benavidez’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, studies that he’s engaged on a combat with WBO interim gentle heavyweight champion Callum Smith for October. He says he’s open to staging the combat within the UK for the “proper deal.” The opposite two doable areas are Dallas and Las Vegas.
Benavidez vs. Smith: October Battle
It might be a tough one for Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs), who was elevated to WBC gentle heavyweight champion standing final April when the earlier beltholder, Dmitry Bivol, opted to face Artur Beterbiev in a trilogy relatively than defend towards him. On the time, Benavidez held the WBC interim belt.
Benavidez, 28, absorbed a number of punishment from David Morrell in his final combat on February 1st, and he may need misplaced it if the Cuban expertise had boxed him within the first half of the combat as an alternative of slugging in a toe-to-toe method. Within the second half, Morrell got here on to get the higher of an exhausted, beat-up-looking Benavidez.
Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) doesn’t possess the abilities to field Benavidez. So, if the combat occurs, he’s going to slug it out with him at shut vary and make it a conflict. It’ll be one other grueling combat for ‘The Mexican Monster’, however he might get Callum out of there if he can face up to his physique pictures.
Benavidez’s Vulnerability: Physique Photographs
What makes Smith harmful for Benavidez is his physique punching. David was harm to the physique in his combat towards Oleksandr Gvozdyk final yr. That’s an space that’s clearly Benavidez’s Achilles’ heel.
Most of his opponents throughout his profession have focused his brick-like head, selecting to reap the benefits of his nonexistent protection. It doesn’t work. Benavidez can take headshots properly. Though Morrell dropped him late within the combat, he bought up and continued combating properly. If Callum can assault Benavidez’s physique, he could carry him to heel and rating a stoppage.
Promoter Eyes UK Deal
“Both combat is an effective combat,” promoter Sampson Lewkowicz informed The Ring a couple of combat with Anthony Yarde or Callum Smith towards Benavidez. “It’s as much as Eddie Hearn if he needs to make the deal [for Benavidez vs. Smith]. We’re additionally able to go to England and combat Smith if the deal is correct.”
Hearn’s Downside: Smith’s Future
It might be a shock if Callum’s promoter Eddie Hearn pulls the set off on this combat, as a result of if he loses, he’ll miss out on all of the hundreds of thousands he might get combating the Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev III winner. Should you’re Hearn, do you actually wish to throw Smith in with Benavidez and lose out on that assured big payday towards the Bivol-Beterbiev trilogy winner? I wouldn’t do it if I have been Hearn.
Benavidez is taking a threat as properly. If he will get knocked out with a physique shot from Smith, he can say goodbye endlessly for the cash he would get combating Bivol or Beterbiev. These guys are too outdated to attend for Benavidez to rebuild after a loss to Callum.
Moreover, Bivol has already proven that he needs nothing to do with combating ‘The Mexican Monster.’ Some consider the sparring session they’d had has one thing to do along with his reluctance to face him. In keeping with Benavidez, he lit Bivol up with a flurry of pictures that had him harm.
Smith’s age could possibly be an element on this combat. He’s 35 and is coming off a torturous battle towards Joshua Buatsi final yr. Callum gained a 12-round unanimous choice, however there have been moments within the combat the place it regarded like Buatsi was going to knock him out.
Buatsi is an even bigger puncher than Benavidez. Nonetheless, the amount punching from ‘The Mexican Monster’ could possibly be an excessive amount of for Smith if he can’t subdue him along with his physique assault.
Boxing Information 24 » Why David Benavidez’s Achilles’ Heel (Physique Photographs) Makes Callum Smith a Harmful Opponent
Final Up to date on 06/18/2025
