Over the past two weeks, there were two meaningful fights that took place which most fight fans enjoyed. Allow me to share my thoughts.
BENAVIDEZ. Maybe all the smoke about David Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) is true: There’s just nobody out there like him.
Though I was pulling for the upset win by Demetrius Andrade (33-1, 19KOs), I predicted it would be a close fight. Well, it was — for a while.
Andrade showed off his signature slick punches in the early rounds, oftentimes catching Benavidez with eye-catching shots. But Benavidez was like a machine out there — constantly moving forward, throwing shots. He would not be denied his victory that night, no matter the viciousness of the oncoming artillery.
And true enough, he got his comeuppance at right about the fourth round when a huge right hand thrown with vicious intent snakes through the defenses of Andrade and knocks the latter down.
The fifth round was the most exciting as Benavidez was determined to finish off Andrade and both men engaged in brutal exchanges with Benavidez coming out on top.
The sixth round was another barnburner with Benavidez pummeling Andrade from pillar to post while the latter would land some counter shots just to keep things honest.
In the end, Andrade’s corner thought it prudent to prevent their man from taking further punishment and threw in the towel.
Yes, monsters do exist, and his name is David Benavidez. He has the skill, the power and the size to match. Watch out Canelo, this guy is a real threat.
GARCIA. Ryan Garcia found himself in a seemingly difficult situation over the weekend with Oscar Duarte’s mauling tactics.
Garcia was hitting Duarte with almost everything he got, but the former just kept on coming. Duarte was building momentum as the rounds went by and seemed to be getting stronger while Garcia appeared to fade a bit in the middle rounds.
Luckily for fighters like Garcia who possess fight-ending power in their fists, Ryan was able to salvage the fight in the 8th round, with a left hook that stunned Duarte.
Garcia followed it up with a combination that took down Duarte. He tried to beat the count but the ref waived it off and so Garcia (24-1, 20KOs) has made a successful comeback after the first loss of his career to Gervonta Davis in April of this year.
VERBATIM. “At the end of the day, I beat practically all of them. If I beat Benavidez, they’re gonna say, oh why don’t you face this other guy? - Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (via Essentially Sports).
LAST ROUNDS. Are on two lovebirds, Rey “Gutzie” and Paneh Guttierez who recently celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary. Cheers!