David Benavidez says he’s down to 188 lbs, feeling strong, and preparing for his fight with former WBC light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June 15 on Prime Video PPV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Looking Beyond Gvozdyk: Canelo’s Dream
At 188, Benavidez looks strong, and it shows how much he’s been killing his body to pull up to 168 all these years. He should have been playing at light heavyweight, but he has been staying, hoping to face Canelo Alvarez.
Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) feels confident of knocking out Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) to win the WBC interim 175-lb title in their 12-round unification bout in Gervonta Davis vs . Frank Martin card.
This is Benavidez’s light heavyweight debut, and he needs a win to put himself in position to fight for the undisputed championship in 2025.
Interestingly, Benavidez still intends to return to the 168-lb division because he still hopes to fight Canelo. That won’t happen unless a rich man makes a fight to come up with the $200M that Canelo wants.
The Challenge of Facing Opponents His Size
If Benavidez loses to Gvozdyk, he may have no choice but to return to super middleweight because it would be pointless to stay at 175 if he can’t cut it against fighters his size in that weight class. That’s the thing.
Benavidez has been fighting smaller opposition his entire career at 168, and now he’ll be fighting his fellow guys at 175. He may not be able to deal with not being a big guy.
“During the week of the fight, you only lose a few pounds. I will be extremely ready, extremely motivated, and in great shape,” David Benavidez told ESNEWS about his June 15th fight against Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
“I think so,” Benavidez said when asked if Porky Medina is his best player of his career. “We will try to find a way to put him down in this fight. I am 100% ready. I did my 30 day scale last week. 188. 13 pounds, so I’m very close, very happy.
“I hit a lot [at 175]. I feel like people have never seen the good in me. At 175, I will be able to show the best David Benavidez. I still have a lot to prove to myself. I’m not done yet,” said Benavidez.
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