By Ian S Palmer
Original article: https://www.sportsbetlistings.com/boxing/david-benavidez-vs-demetrius-andrade-betting-odds-and-prediction/22292/
Former WBC Super Middleweight Champion and current WBC Interim Beltholder David Benavidez of Phoenix, Arizona takes on former WBO Middleweight Champion Demetrius Andrade of Providence, Rhode Island in a battle of unbeatens this Saturday, November 25th. The 12-rounder from Las Vegas, Nevada can be seen live on Showtime pay per view as well as FITE TV. Benavidez last fought in March when he beat former world champion Caleb Plant by unanimous decision to retain the Interim Title. Andrade last boxed in January when he shut out Demond Nicholson over 10 rounds.
The 26-year-old Benavidez won the vacant WBC Middleweight Belt in September, 2017 with a split decision over Ronald Gavril even though he was dropped in the 12th round. He then beat Gavril by unanimous decision in a rematch five months later. He sat out for a year after testing positive for cocaine and returned in March, 2019 with a second-round stoppage of J’Leon Love. Benavidez then regained the title by stopping Anthony Dirrell in the ninth round in September, 2019.
He lost it again though, this time on the weigh scale in August, 2020 against Roamer Alexis Angulo when he came in 2.8 lbs overweight. However, he still took care of Angulo after 10 rounds. He picked up the Interim Belt in May, 2022 when he halted former world champion David Lemieux in the third round and defended it again Plant. A win over Andrade this weekend will hopefully line him up for a shot against Canelo Alvarez.
Benavidez is a hard-hitter who turned pro in 2013 after a short 15-0 amateur career. He’s boxed 130 rounds since and won the vacant NABF Junior Light Heavyweight Title in April, 2015 with a first-round TKO of Rollin Williams. He enters the match with a perfect record of 27-0 with 23 Ko’s and owns quite a bit of power with a current knockout ratio of 85.2 per cent. Gavril took him the distance in both of their fights but he then won six in a row by stoppage before Plant took him the distance in March.
Benavidez likes to slug it out and that means he’s not really the hardest guy to hit, which makes him a very fan-friendly fighter. He also appears to have a pretty sturdy chin though even though Gavril decked him. Benavidez stands 6-feet-2-inches tall with a reach of 74.5 inches and his biggest wins so far have been over Plant, Lemieux, Kyrone Davis, Ronald Ellis, Angulo, Dirrell, Love, Gavril, Rogelio (Porky) Medina, and Denis Douglin.
The 35-year-old Andrade won the vacant WBO Middleweight Crown in October, 2018 via a unanimous decision over Walter Kautondokwa and defended it against Artur Akavov by 12th-round stoppage in January, 2019. He then defended it against Macviej Sulecki by unanimous decision, stopped Luke Keeler, decisioned Liam Williams and stopped Jason Quigley. He defended the title five times but gave given it up to head north in weight by eight pounds.
Andrade was also briefly the WBA Super Welterweight Champion in 2017 after beating Jack Culcay by unanimous decision. He also enters the ring with a perfect mark as he’s 32-0 with 19 Ko’s. Andrade’s a a southpaw who stands 6-feet tall with a 73.5-inch reach, so he gives up two inches in height to Benavidez and an inch in reach. He’s got quite a lot of talent but has only slightly stepped up the class of opposition recently.
The biggest wins for Andrade have been against Quigley, Williams, Sulecki, Culcay, Willie Nelson, Alantez Fox and Vanes Martirosyan by split decision in 2013 to win the vacant WBO Super Welterweight Title. Andrade defended that WBO belt against Brian Rose by seventh-round stoppage the next year, but gave up the title a few months later when he wouldn’t take on mandatory challenger Jermell Charlo. Due to promotional problems, Andrade was then inactive for a year before winning the vacant title against Kautondokwa.
At the age of 35 Andrade hasn’t really met any elite boxers as a pro and will be taking a step up in class against Benavidez. He’s a former 2008 U.S. Olympian who enjoyed an excellent amateur career. He turned pro shortly after the Olympics in 2008, has fought 200 rounds since and also has wins over Grady Brewer, Freddy Hernandez and Saul Duran. Andrade possesses some fine boxing skills but isn’t exactly the most exciting fighter out there even though he’s got better-than-average power with a current knockout ratio of 59.4 per cent. He’s also gone the distance in six of his last nine outings but has stopped three of his past six opponents.
Prediction…
Benavidez is known as a powerful slugger with a lot energy and aggression and will need to make sure he utilizes these attributes against Andrade since Andrade definitely has the better boxing skills. Caleb Plant was also the better boxer though and Benavidez made sure he threw enough leather to beat him. Although he’s nine years younger, Benavidez won’t outbox Andrade and has to stick to what he’s been successful at so far, which is to simply overwhelm his opponents with heavy shots. He’s going to get tagged too though so his chin needs to hold out. Nobody has to tell Benavidez to let his hands go in volume as it just comes naturally to him and as long as he keeps it up I’m expecting him to add another win to his record this weekend.
