Oleksandr Gvozydk says he doesn’t view David Benavidez as a “Monster” for their Saturday night fight in Las Vegas.
Benavidez’s Reliance on Intimidation
Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) notes that Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) can try and intimidate ahead of time if that helps him get extra motivation, but it’s not going to work.
The 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Gvozdyk points out that he had over 200 amateur fights during his career, and he’s seen fighters that attempt to intimidate, but it doesn’t work against him.
Benavidez is big on intimidating his opponents, which is reflected in his mindset. He feels he needs that to help him win. The idea is to scare his opponents into not fighting hard.
People who rely on intimidation are seen as insecure and lack courage and self-belief. Perhaps that’s why Benavidez has chosen to stay at 168 for so long, a weight class much smaller than his actual size.
Benavidez’s Weight Class Advantage: A Form of Bullying?
The former WBC light heavyweight champion Gvozdyk expressed curiosity about how Benavidez could melt down to 168, given that he’s bigger than him.
Gvozdyk would have had a tremendous advantage over his opposition if he drained down to fight at 168 his entire career the way Benavidez had, and he’d still be unbeaten, especially if he fought the same opposition that David has.
The real question is, why has Benavidez chosen to put himself through pure torture all these years to drain down to 168 rather than fight at 175 or 200, where he belonged?
This Saturday, June 15th, Benavidez will battle Gvozdyk for the WBC interim light heavyweight title on PBC on Prime Video PPV at the MGM Grand Garden in New York. The two fighters will be fighting in the co-feature slot on the Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin card.
Gvozdyk Dismisses “Monster” Nickname
“Monster is a name. I’m skeptical. I don’t believe in monsters. If you compare him, he’s a great fighter, and I’m probably going to face a monster, which is just a human,” said Oleksandr Gvozdyk to the media, talking about David Benavidez’s nickname that was given to him by Mike Tyson.
“I’ll gain about 15 pounds. I think he’s going to be bigger,” said Gvozdyk when asked if the 15 lbs he rehydrates will be an advantage against Benavidez. “Well, I think he’s a big guy.
“Now, we’re different fighters. It happened eight years ago,” said Gvozdyk about his sparring with Benavidez. “We’re completely different persons. We both developed a lot.
“I never thought about him because his whole career, he was at 168, and I was at 175. He has great hand speed, throws a lot of combinations, and has a great ability to absorb punches. He’s a top fighter.
“No, he won’t. I’ll be there,” said Gvozdyk when told that Benavidez has an extra gear that he turns on in the eighth round to score knockouts.
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