David Benavidez can beat Dmitry Bivol, according to Oscar De La Hoya. The legendary fighter-turned-promoter believes the unbeaten American has what it takes to topple the Russian technician.
Bivol became the undisputed light-heavyweight champion in February when he outpointed Artur Beterbiev in a rematch. The pair first met in October, where Beterbiev handed Bivol his first professional loss in a closely fought contest.
Now, De La Hoya thinks there's a new challenger on the scene. In an interview with Fight Hub TV, 'The Golden Boy' explained why he favors Benavidez:
"That's a tough one. I would go with Benavidez because he's more active and throws more punches and has better footwork than Beterbiev. He's smarter up there and knows how to think and how to adjust. I would favour Benavidez."
Benavidez, at 28 years old, is six years younger than Bivol. The Phoenix native recently got a boost when Bivol vacated the WBC 175lbs title. This move elevated Benavidez from interim to full champion status.
The new champ won't have an easy first defense. He's set to face Anthony Yarde on November 22 at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Yarde gave a good account of himself against Beterbiev last year, and will look to do one better against Benavidez.
Meanwhile, Bivol's decision to vacate suggests he's targeting a trilogy fight with Beterbiev. Their previous encounters were close, with Bivol winning the rematch via majority decision.
The light-heavyweight division is heating up. With Benavidez's activity and boxing smarts, Bivol's technical prowess, and Beterbiev still in the mix, fans can look forward to some great fights in the near future.
