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Showtime Boxing ended their long-tenured pay per view series tonight when David Benavidez took on Demetrius Andrade in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight came to a premature end when Benavidez absolutely battered Andrade for two and a half rounds and a knockdown in the fourth. “The Mexican Monster” retained his WBC Interim Super Middleweight World title and perhaps punched his ticket for a date to unify with Canelo Alvarez.
Andrade’s early success
David Benavidez is a slow-ish starter. He usually feels out his opponents and then gets to work at the start of the middle rounds. Demetrius Andrade, however, is the opposite. He starts fast and then just stops. It’s usually not that he gasses, but he just stops working.
This fight was no different for either fighter. “Boo Boo” would get off four, five, six and even longer punch combinations that had Benavidez covered up. Andrade circled about the ring and stayed out of trouble with the heavy-handed Benavidez.
The first three rounds actually went to Andrade on the judges scorecards. He looked to be having success in round four as well until Benavidez landed heavy to the body consistently and they finally took their toll.
David Benavidez’ domination
At the end of the fourth round, Benavidez landed a thudding right hand against the southpaw Andrade that sent him crashing to the canvas. While Benavidez knocking down his opponent shouldn’t surprise you, seeing it happen to Andrade, who spent his life fighting cab drivers, still caught people a little off guard.
When that knockdown happened, there was only a second left in the round and Andrade managed to beat the eight count and survive to fight another round.
”Fight.”
Andrade didn’t do much fighting going into the fifth round. Benavidez walked him down, dominating every second of the fight, and painting a violent canvas on the face and body of Demetrius Andrade.
Andrade was warned to fight back going into six and would come out trying. But Benavidez was too strong for Andrade. He continued his barrage of punishment like 12 year-old-me on a 11 kill streak in Modern Warfare 2 calling in an AC-130.
Benavidez bullied Andrade with hardly any resistance coming his way. When it did, David Benavidez bullied harder.
At the end of the day, Demetrius Andrade’s corner did the right thing as the referee told them that he would not let another round like the last go. The corner called the fight off, rightfully so.
Calling King Canelo
Technically, Canelo Alvarez is undisputed at super middleweight. That’s true if you ignore the tiny detail that David Benavidez has the interim WBC title, literally disputing the belt. There is only one fight for Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez and that is for them to fight on Cinco de Mayo, Canelo’s yearly tradition.
Benavidez spent his whole post fight speech playing off the crowd saying that the fans want it and he wants it so the two should fight.
It makes sense. Canelo needs to re-unify, even though we don’t particularly seen Benavidez’ title as legitimate. But Benavidez needs to have his shot at the big time. He’s only 26 and a big fight, win or lose, will change him as a fighter. Like Canelo against Mayweather, it could make him a better fighter, even in a loss. Or he could rise to the occasion and do what only the aforementioned Floyd Mayweather and Dmitrii Bivol could do and best the Mexican king.
Elsewhere on the card, Jermall Charlo returned after a two plus year layoff and beat Jose Benavidez Jr, the brother of David, with a one sided 10 round decision. Charlo looks to regain his active ways and make his way to Canelo as well. Subriel Matias destroyed Shohjahon Ergashev in a systematic breakdown as well.