Commentator Jim Lampley believes David Benavidez has an opportunity to change into “the face of boxing.” The previous HBO blow-by-blow announcer Lampley is excessive on Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs), believing he can sometime transfer as much as heavyweight to change into a doable world champion.
For now, Benavidez is combating Oleksandr Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) for the WBC interim gentle heavyweight title this Saturday evening, June fifteenth, on PBC on Prime Video PPV on the MGM Grand Backyard Enviornment in Las Vegas.
If Benavidez is profitable, he may face the winner of the Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev undisputed 175-lb championship in 2025. Benavidez’s probabilities of turning into the ‘Face of Boxing’ could be good if he may defeat Gvozdyk after which beat the Bivol-Beterbiev winner
Staying at 175 after which transferring to cruiserweight will assist Benavidez change into the face of boxing as a result of if he strikes again all the way down to 168, he gained’t get the fights he must change into the #1 star within the sport.
Canelo Alvarez gained’t battle Benavidez, and there aren’t any massive names within the 168-lb division for him to battle. If he stays at 175 lengthy sufficient to change into undisputed, that’ll assist his reputation. Going to cruiserweight after which heavyweight will remodel Benavidez into an enormous star if he retains profitable.
Jim Lampley: “David, I simply had a shocking second. I mentioned to Oleksandr Gvozdyk, ‘What occurred between you and David whenever you sparred in Oxnard,’ and he mentioned, ‘It didn’t go effectively for me in any respect,’” mentioned Lampley to PPV_Com. “Usually, you don’t get that trustworthy of a solution.
“He mentioned, ‘The actual fact of the matter was, I couldn’t deal with him. He was too sturdy, and he was too highly effective. These weren’t good sparring classes for me, however this can go otherwise.’ Are you amazed that he would give me an trustworthy reply like that?”
David Benavidez: “I’m amazed and I admire his honesty, nevertheless it’s not going to go any higher for him. Once I sparred him, I used to be 20 or 21 years outdated. So think about all the things I’ve been by means of and all the things I’ve realized.
“Not solely on the boxing facet, however with the power and conditioning; all the things I have to do to get one of the best out of myself. It’s going to go even worse for him. Hats off to him. He’s an incredible man. It’s going to be an incredible battle whereas it lasts, however I’m positively going to go in there and take him out.”
Lampley: “I requested him, ‘How about your jab, it’s one of the best one within the sport?’ He mentioned, ‘It didn’t work for me in opposition to him.’ So, once more, it’s fairly wonderful.”
Benavidez: “Neither his jab labored or his proper hand. I took away his greatest weapons. Now that I do know what he does, it’s going to go even worse for him. I’m not utilizing that to strive, and be boastful and attempt to overlook him. I’m nonetheless working extraordinarily laborious, as a result of I do know these weapons are there, nevertheless it’s going to be an incredible victory for Staff Benavidez.”
Lampley: “I simply watched quite a lot of discuss on the information convention, and there have been quite a lot of references to cite, ‘The face of boxing.’ I feel you will have an opportunity to obviously change into the face of boxing, and I’m considering it is going to be a much more dignified mode than what I noticed as we speak.”
Benavidez: “Oh yeah, positively. Generally, it does get to that boiling level the place two males don’t like one another, however I wish to present the fighters that we might be gents within the sport. We are able to conduct ourselves with completely different conduct.
“Generally, you get two those who don’t like one another, and that’s what you get generally. It doesn’t need to occur like that on a regular basis.”
Lampley: “Nothing occurred on this information convention that may change your strategy to the battle.”
Benavidez: “Me and my battle, I’m finding out quite a lot of movie and doing my homework on this man. He’s an incredible man and it’s going to be an incredible battle. I stay up for it.”
