David Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) is slowly rising to the top of the super middleweight division, but is a former world champion Timothy Bradley believes that it is still premature to raise optimism around the American. Bradley sees flaws in Benavidez's performance and adds that Demetrius Andrade (32-0, 19 KOs) could be the man to open them up, and the former two-division champion's opposing stance could be a key factor.
“For me, Benavidez is a boxer who is gaining a lot of influence. Yes, we call him “Monster,” but when I see him in action, I see a lot of opportunities that a guy like Andrade can take advantage of. Andrade is left-handed. This is another problem that Benavidez will have to face in the ring. We haven't seen David against strong southpaws, and Benavidez is also struggling to move properly. In fact, his footwork is terrible. “He often stands still, straight, and a fighter with Andrade’s technique and experience will be able to take advantage of that, move forward, find the right places to strike, be elusive on defense and make Benavidez miss,” Bradley said.
“Benavidez should be in the best shape of his career, and I’m telling you now: don’t count Andrade out. “He is a cunning and very well-trained boxer who has what it takes to beat Benavidez,” the ESPN expert added.
