Lonnie B Thompson says David Benavidez can’t defeat undisputed gentle heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev combating like he did towards David Morrell final Saturday evening. He’s going to must give you a greater type towards Beterbiev.
Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) earned the WBC obligatory spot along with his win over Morrell, and he’ll now face the winner of the Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 rematch.
Benavidez’s Type
Thompson says Benavidez’s behavior of standing straight in entrance of his opponents and firing mixtures will get him knocked out if he fights like towards Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs).
Benavidez, 28, is a 12-year professional, and he’s by no means proven the flexibility to adapt his combating type to field and transfer. What you see is what you get with him. Morrell labeled Benavidez’s combating type as “Robocop,” and he’s proper. He’s not going to alter for the Beterbiev struggle.
If Benavidez is fortunate, Bivol will defeat Beterbiev of their struggle on February twenty second, and he gained’t have to fret about coping with him. Bivol can be a a lot simpler struggle for Benavidez as a result of he can’t punch and can be attempting to field.
“No,” stated Lonnie B to Fighthype when requested if David Benavidez can beat Artur Beterbiev. “I’m not a David Benavidez hater. I’m simply wanting on the struggle from my expertise being within the ring with each.
“If he’s going to provide Artur a great struggle, he’s bought to come back manner higher than that, as a result of that type he bought standing in entrance of you, blocking, blocking, blocking, I don’t suppose that’ll serve him nicely combating Artur with a man that’s extraordinarily bodily robust. Artur is bodily an animal and punches extraordinarily arduous.
“To show I’m proper, have a look at Bivol, who’s an especially good fighter. He stored transferring and transferring and transferring. However when you stand there with Artur, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than you find yourself on the bottom. Belief me, I’ve tried it loads of instances,” stated Lonnie B.
Benavidez will possible try to overwhelm Beterbiev with punches like he did towards Morrell and the opposite 29 opponents he’s confronted in his profession. He solely is aware of the best way to struggle a method, and that’s to bury his opposition with quantity. He’ll use that very same cookie-cutter recreation plan towards Beterbiev and hope that it’ll work. It would.
With the best way the primary Beterbiev-Bivol struggle performed out, there’s a superb opportunity Bivol will win their rematch on February twenty second. So, it gained’t be Benavidez combating Beterbiev. It’ll be Bivol that he faces. In fact, that’s if Beterbiev and Bivol don’t struggle a trilogy subsequent.
“Morrell buzzed Benavidez within the third spherical with a verify hook, however Benavidez is hard. He got here again firing and clearly gained,” stated Lonnie B. “However with Artur, he can’t afford to get hit with this, as a result of typically David [Benavidez] will get lazy as a result of he be successful so convincingly.
“He begins dropping his arms, jabbing, leaning ahead, and leaving his chin on the market and his legs straight up. With Artur, he can’t try this. If he needs to provide Artur a great struggle and doubtlessly beat him, he’s going to must tighten his recreation up.
“He’s going to must struggle midrange and maintain his arms up, transfer his head, and be ready to take some vicious pictures. The truth that Morrell was capable of skate to the ending bell when at instances it seemed like Benavidez was going to cease him and Benavidez didn’t, it reveals me that he might not be the largest puncher at this weight.
“So my concern is whether or not he’ll be capable to hit Artur with one thing that may make Artur respect him?
“Sure, I believe he [Benavidez] can beat Canelo. I believe Canelo is simply too small for David Benavidez. I don’t suppose Canelo will be capable to maintain him off with that stage of exercise. I don’t suppose Canelo will be capable to maintain Benavidez off of him,” stated Lonnie.
Benavidez most likely might beat Canelo Alvarez, however he’ll possible by no means get an opportunity. It’s a kind of hypothetical fights which can be a waste of time to speak about. It could be higher to invest how Benavidez would do towards IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia if he strikes up there certainly one of as of late.
Will Benavidez be capable to stroll by Opetaia’s punches and the place him down with quantity like he’s executed with so many others? I don’t suppose so, however I doubt that he’ll ever conform to struggle Jai. He’ll duck Opetaia in the identical manner Canelo is ducking him.
