Mike Tyson says David Benavidez is the one fighter he'd avoid, even in his prime. The former heavyweight champ called Benavidez "so underrated" in a recent statement.
Tyson's words carry weight. At 58, he's still involved in boxing. He recently stepped back in the ring against Jake Paul in a bout broadcast live on Netflix. Paul won by unanimous decision, marking Tyson's first professional contest in nearly 20 years.
In his prime, Tyson was known as 'Iron Mike'. He became the youngest world heavyweight champion in history. Many considered him the most feared man on the planet. His list of victories includes names like Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Trevor Berbick, Frank Bruno, and Tony Tubbs.
Now, Tyson's attention has turned to David Benavidez. In a recent video, Tyson said:
"He's so underrated but so over-polarised here. Listen, I'd be afraid to fight him too if I was in that division. No one even has a chance against him, and I'm talking facts."
Benavidez, nicknamed 'The Mexican Monster', boasts an undefeated record of 29-0. He's a former world champion at super-middleweight and now competes at light heavyweight. In his last fight, he scored a unanimous decision victory over Oleksandr Gvozdyk to claim the vacant WBC interim belt.
Benavidez's next challenge comes in February. He'll face WBA Regular light-heavyweight champion David Morrell. If Benavidez wins, he might get a shot at the winner of the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol rematch.
Tyson's endorsement adds to Benavidez's growing reputation. The former champ's words suggest Benavidez might be one of the most formidable fighters in the sport today.
