David Benavidez is slated to subsequent struggle David Lemieux someday this spring in an interim WBC tremendous middleweight championship matchup.
For the reason that bout in opposition to the Canadian knockout artist hasn’t been formally introduced but, the previous two-time WBC tremendous middleweight titlist Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs) is entertaining the concept of combating Demetrius Andrade, the WBO middleweight champion who’s quickly seeking to make the leap to 168 kilos.
“He’s one other nice fighter. If I can not get another fights. He is expressed that he want to struggle me. I expressed that I want to struggle him. Why not make it occur?” Benavidez informed a bunch of reporters this week. “I wish to problem myself. I’m uninterested in speaking s— and going backwards and forwards with fighters that don’t wish to struggle. It is a waste of time. It is a waste of power. If a fighter does wish to struggle, that is what I am right here for. I am not right here to be on social media speaking s— to everyone.”
The 25-year-old Benavidez first turned a WBC world titlist in 2017 when he beat Ronald Gavril. After beating Gavril once more in 2018, Benavidez was stripped of his title quickly after testing constructive for the banned substance benzoylecgonine, the important thing ingredient in cocaine.
Benavidez regained the WBC title once more when he knocked out Anthony Dirrell in 2019 however did not defend the title in 2020 when he blew weight in opposition to Roamer Alexis Angulo and misplaced the title on the scales.
At one level, Benavidez seemingly possessed a golden ticket to struggle Canelo Alvarez in the course of the Mexican fighter’s quest to turning into undisputed champion within the division, however Alvarez finally picked up the title Benavidez vacated throughout his one-sided drubbing of Calum Smith.
Benavidez has since been relegated to combating inferior challengers like Ronald Ellis and Kyrone Davis whereas persistently calling out the likes of Alvarez and PBC stablemates Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo.
Andrade (31-0) might finally function a viable dance associate – particularly since his promoter Eddie Hearn is craving to land a giant identify opponent for his fighter. Hearn additionally lately admitted Andrade is struggling to make 160 kilos.
“I really feel like [Andrade] remains to be a sneaky fighter. He hasn’t needed to transfer round as a result of he hasn’t had a fighter push him. So I can not count on him to take a seat in there and brawl with me,” mentioned Benavidez.
“I really feel assured I can win the struggle. It is going to be a terrific struggle. I am right here to make the fights the followers wish to see … I’m not going to place my profession on maintain as a result of these different guys don’t wish to struggle me.”
As quickly as he completed his assertion, Benavidez doubled as an intrepid reporter and revealed one other massive struggle that shall be going down within the division.
“Charlo goes with Plant,” he mentioned. “That struggle goes to be made, to be sincere with you. I referred to as each of these guys out. [Charlo] mentioned he was going to remain at 160, [Plant] mentioned he does not wish to struggle me, and now they will struggle one another … I nonetheless need these fights. In the event that they don’t wish to struggle me they’ll struggle one another and we will determine it out after.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports activities journalist, author and broadcast reporter. He’s additionally a member of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America and MMA Journalists Affiliation. He could be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through e-mail at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or on www.ManoukAkopyan.com.
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