On November 25 in Las Vegas, USA, a fight between two undefeated boxers, 26-year-old David Benavides (27-0, 23 KOs) and 35-year-old Demetrius Andrade (32-0, 19 KOs) will take place. Both are listed as almost the main rivals for Saul Alvarez, but for different reasons. And for various reasons he does not want to meet with them.
But this time they will determine which of them is the best. And maybe the winner will get a showdown against Canelo.
Andrade and Benavidez should put on a great fight. Because it cannot be otherwise with their styles
David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade is a clash of styles. In the same classic way that everyone usually mentions, but which is rarely explained.
The opposition of styles is different. Aggressive boxers who go to meet each other often put on a show, although sometimes they get into a clinch against each other and a fight begins. There are times when two techies put on a really great showdown in which there’s no time to figure out how they’re doing it. And there is a match between Shakur Stevenson and Edwin De Los Santos, when it is simply impossible not to fall asleep.
But classics are when styles are opposite. Just like in this case. Benavides goes forward so strongly and regularly that it is impossible not to break under this pressure. Maybe it’s real, but so far we haven’t seen any boxer who could successfully deal with it. Andrade, on the contrary, was accused of spoilers for a long time in his career. In the fact that the American delivers one or two blows, and then runs away from the opponent with his back to the front, so as not to allow himself to be hit.
It is for these two reasons that Canelo Alvarez is in no rush to fight against them. Demetrius even came to Saul’s press conference – shouted something from the hall, to which he received: “Get the hell out of here until I knock you out” – from the usually restrained Mexican.
Alvarez understands that it will not be easy to catch up with this guy, and it will not bring money. Canelo will be the risk-taking A side, and too much. Because people will come to him, and the show may not get due to the caution of the opponent. They can also get the defeat of the favorite, and still not see the show. Lead a person to money and lose – who needs that? Saul – definitely not.
Arranging a fight against Benavidez is also not a good idea. Now David is only 26 years old and he quite realistically falls within the framework of the category in which Alvarez is the absolute champion. At the same time, Benavidez is a giant. He’s a lot bigger than Canelo, tough and punches a lot. A person can literally go forward with punches the entire match, pour, block and pour again.
Saul understands that this is a similar situation, but with a more dangerous outcome for him. He will be the A side that has come down from heaven to the boxer they want to see him face. He will bring the main part of the box office. And in the end, he may lose to a young opponent – such a result is quite real. Why does he need it at this stage of his career?
Again, that doesn’t mean that Andrade and Benavidez will definitely beat Canelo. Even Oscar De La Hoya, Alvarez’s former promoter, when talking about the boxers who would try to defeat the Mexican, named them, but with caution:
“I think Benavides will definitely give Canelo a tough fight. Like Andrade.
Will Benavidez pass Andrade first? I’m not one hundred percent sure that Demetrius can handle the firepower of the top boxers at 76 kilograms, but we’ll see how it goes. In fact, Demetrius is a very good boxer.”
Oscar named David Moral prospect the third such boxer, if anyone is interested.
And here is a cautious forecast from De La Hoya. But these guys can really be a problem. And they definitely want to see at least one of them as Alvarez’s opponent. Will Saul come down from Olympus? Good question. To which there is no answer.