David Benavidez wants to make a statement in his debut at light heavyweight next Saturday night against former WBC 175-lb champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June 15th on PBC on Prime Video PPV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Benavidez’s Ambitions at Light Heavyweight
Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) wants to have the same kind of success at light heavyweight as he did at super middleweight, which will be a lot tougher because he never fought any of the killers at 168 and was never tested against the best before leaving to move up to 175.
The 27-year-old Benavidez hopes to defeat Gvozdyk to win the WBC interim 175-lb and then face the winner of the Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev fight for the undisputed light heavyweight championship.
That would be a quick rise to the top for Benavidez if he gets the opportunity to fight for the undisputed championship in just his second fight after moving up to 175.
It’s the ideal way for Benavidez to do it because he should get more experience at light heavyweight before potentially facing the winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev fight, but he’s convinced he can beat both, so he doesn’t think he needs more time.
This is a fight where Benavidez may need to alter his style for him to be successful because he’s a volume puncher during his career, and he’s facing a fighter with an excellent right hand that is a nightmare for fighters that leave themselves wide open for his shots.
Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) has looked as powerful as ever since coming out of his four-year retirement last year and knocking out his two opponents.
Benavidez’s Confidence and Adaptability
“It’s important in my own career to make a statement in each and every fight and not just one particular fight. This is going to be my debut at 175 pounds, and I just want to show I’m just as dominant in the 175-lb weight class as I was’ at the 168 weight class,” said David Benavidez on the Premier Boxing Champions – Gloves are Off.’
Benavidez’s best wins at 168
Caleb Plant
Demetrius Andrade
David Lamieux
Ronald Gavil
Anthony Dirrell
Ronald Ellis
Roamer Alexis Angulo
Benavidez has got to be careful because Gvozdyk doesn’t look dangerous at times, but his right hand is lethal when he lands it flush. It looks like it’s effortlessly thrown, but it does a lot of damage.
“Every performance, I feel it’s going to be the best performance up to date because I’m getting better and evolving as a fighter and as a man,” said Benavidez.
Gvozdyk’s Perspective
“I’m trying to do everything in the ring. Ukrainians are tough people,” said Oleksandr Gvozdyk. “I can box a little bit.”
Gvozdyk has a humble attitude, and he doesn’t do a lot of bragging the way Benavidez does, and he doesn’t put pressure on himself.
“He’s a great fighter. He has a really good amateur pedigree. He has a really great professional pedigree. He’s a world champion,” said Benavidez about Gvozdyk. “He’s more of a boxer Ukrainian style. I watched him a lot, and I sparred him a couple of times actually in Oxnard. So, I know his style very well.
“What I try to do is to try and learn brawlers and boxers. You never know when a fighter is going to switch to a different style. Maybe he will show a different style from his previous fight, and then come into the fight with a completely different style.
“So, you have to be able to adapt to anything. I don’t mind anything. Boxers or brawlers, I’ll take care of both of them,” said Benavidez.
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