Tag: Demetrius Andrade

Pound-for-pound: Devin Haney continues his ascent up the Boxing Junkie list

Pound-for-pound: Devin Haney continues his ascent up the Boxing Junkie list of the best fighters in the world.

Devin Haney turned in the best performance of his career Saturday in his hometown of San Francisco, shutting out overmatched 140-pound champ Regis Prograis to win a major title in a second division.

If there was any doubt about Haney’s place among the best fighters in the world beforehand, there isn’t now.

The question we faced was whether his impressive victory merited an upgrade on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list (Top 15 plus five Honorable Mentions).

We feel it did.

Haney entered the fight ranked No. 14, one spot behind fellow young star Shakur Stevenson.

We normally wouldn’t bump a fighter up more than one or two notches after a victory over an opponent who wasn’t on the pound-for-pound list going into the fight. However, this case is unusual.

Consider three things:

  • One, Haney didn’t simply defeat Prograis, he embarrassed him. He dropped him and won every round on all three scorecards.
  • Two, he moved up in weight and directly into a world championship fight.
  • And, three, Prograis was no easy mark. He was a respected, once-beaten, two-time titleholder.

Yes, it was a special night for Haney.

As a result, he moves up to No. 10, which knocks previous No. 10 Errol Spence Jr., No. 11 Vasiliy Lomachenko, No. 12 Artur Beterbiev and Stevenson down one spot each.

Note: Spence and Lomachenko are coming off losses – Spence to Terence Crawford and Lomachenko to Haney – and Stevenson gave a shaky performance in his unanimous decision victory over Edwin De Los Santos.

Beterbiev, 38, can bounce back up the list depending on how he performs against Callum Smith on Jan. 13

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable mentions Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards will face off on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder Marlon Tapales for the undisputed 122-pound championship on Dec. 26 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound title against Lyndon Arthur on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney – No fight scheduled.
  11. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  12. Vasiliy Lomachenko – No fight scheduled.
  13. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada.
  14. Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
  15. David Benavidez – No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Sunny Edwards (scheduled to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled);  Kazuto Ioka (scheduled to defend his 115-pound title against Josber Perez on New Year’s Eve in Japan); Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (scheduled to face Sunny Edwards in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona).

[lawrence-related id=40041,40037]

Pound-for-pound: Devin Haney continues his ascent up the Boxing Junkie list

Pound-for-pound: Devin Haney continues his ascent up the Boxing Junkie list of the best fighters in the world.

Devin Haney turned in the best performance of his career Saturday in his hometown of San Francisco, shutting out overmatched 140-pound champ Regis Prograis to win a major title in a second division.

If there was any doubt about Haney’s place among the best fighters in the world beforehand, there isn’t now.

The question we faced was whether his impressive victory merited an upgrade on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list (Top 15 plus five Honorable Mentions).

We feel it did.

Haney entered the fight ranked No. 14, one spot behind fellow young star Shakur Stevenson.

We normally wouldn’t bump a fighter up more than one or two notches after a victory over an opponent who wasn’t on the pound-for-pound list going into the fight. However, this case is unusual.

Consider three things:

  • One, Haney didn’t simply defeat Prograis, he embarrassed him. He dropped him and won every round on all three scorecards.
  • Two, he moved up in weight and directly into a world championship fight.
  • And, three, Prograis was no easy mark. He was a respected, once-beaten, two-time titleholder.

Yes, it was a special night for Haney.

As a result, he moves up to No. 10, which knocks previous No. 10 Errol Spence Jr., No. 11 Vasiliy Lomachenko, No. 12 Artur Beterbiev and Stevenson down one spot each.

Note: Spence and Lomachenko are coming off losses – Spence to Terence Crawford and Lomachenko to Haney – and Stevenson gave a shaky performance in his unanimous decision victory over Edwin De Los Santos.

Beterbiev, 38, can bounce back up the list depending on how he performs against Callum Smith on Jan. 13

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable mentions Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards will face off on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder Marlon Tapales for the undisputed 122-pound championship on Dec. 26 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound title against Lyndon Arthur on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney – No fight scheduled.
  11. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  12. Vasiliy Lomachenko – No fight scheduled.
  13. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada.
  14. Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
  15. David Benavidez – No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Sunny Edwards (scheduled to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled);  Kazuto Ioka (scheduled to defend his 115-pound title against Josber Perez on New Year’s Eve in Japan); Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (scheduled to face Sunny Edwards in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona).

[lawrence-related id=40041,40037]

Fighter of the Month: David Benavidez made a booming statement

Fighter of the Month: David Benavidez made a booming statement in his knockout victory over Demetrius Andrade.

Well, this is easy.

David Benavidez turned in a special performance last Saturday night in Las Vegas, where he beat up and knocked out previously unbeaten Demetrius Andrade after six rounds of a scheduled 12-rounder.

That made him a no-brainer for Boxing Junkie’s Fighter of the Month for November.

The former two-time 168-pound titleholder’s performance was breathtaking. It took him a few rounds to adjust to his talented opponent’s tricky tactics. However, once he did, he delivered a brutal beating.

The final two rounds amounted to a demolition, as Benavidez pounded Andrade relentlessly and received little in return even though Andrade tried to stay in the fight.

Benavidez landed 74 power punches in Rounds 5 and 6 (to 18 for Andrade), according to CompuBox. That was enough for the loser’s corner to see; they saved their man from undue punishment by stopping the beat down before the start of Round 7.

The winner couldn’t have made a stronger statement.

“For Canelo and everybody else, it just shows I’m not f—ing around,” he said.

Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) mentioned Canelo Alvarez because that’s the man he has been chasing the past few years.

The top challenger hopes his sensational victory over Andrade will finally convince the undisputed super middleweight champion and future Hall of Famer to give him his coveted opportunity, perhaps next Cinco de Mayo weekend.

“I’ve been winning the fights I’m supposed to win in fantastic fashion,” Benavidez said. “[Alvarez] has nobody else to fight.”

Then we would know with certainty whether Benavidez is as good as he appears to be.

[lawrence-related id=39932,39928,39911,39880,39876]

Fighter of the Month: David Benavidez made a booming statement

Fighter of the Month: David Benavidez made a booming statement in his knockout victory over Demetrius Andrade.

Well, this is easy.

David Benavidez turned in a special performance last Saturday night in Las Vegas, where he beat up and knocked out previously unbeaten Demetrius Andrade after six rounds of a scheduled 12-rounder.

That made him a no-brainer for Boxing Junkie’s Fighter of the Month for November.

The former two-time 168-pound titleholder’s performance was breathtaking. It took him a few rounds to adjust to his talented opponent’s tricky tactics. However, once he did, he delivered a brutal beating.

The final two rounds amounted to a demolition, as Benavidez pounded Andrade relentlessly and received little in return even though Andrade tried to stay in the fight.

Benavidez landed 74 power punches in Rounds 5 and 6 (to 18 for Andrade), according to CompuBox. That was enough for the loser’s corner to see; they saved their man from undue punishment by stopping the beat down before the start of Round 7.

The winner couldn’t have made a stronger statement.

“For Canelo and everybody else, it just shows I’m not f—ing around,” he said.

Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) mentioned Canelo Alvarez because that’s the man he has been chasing the past few years.

The top challenger hopes his sensational victory over Andrade will finally convince the undisputed super middleweight champion and future Hall of Famer to give him his coveted opportunity, perhaps next Cinco de Mayo weekend.

“I’ve been winning the fights I’m supposed to win in fantastic fashion,” Benavidez said. “[Alvarez] has nobody else to fight.”

Then we would know with certainty whether Benavidez is as good as he appears to be.

[lawrence-related id=39932,39928,39911,39880,39876]

What’s next for David Benavidez? Here are five compelling possibilities

What’s next for David Benavidez? Here are five compelling potential opponents for the rising star.

With success comes attractive options.

Rising star David Benavidez took another significant step in his career on Saturday in Las Vegas, where the bruising 168-pound contender beat up and knocked out previously unbeaten former two-division titleholder Demetrius Andrade after six rounds.

What’s next for “The Mexican Monster?”

We know the opponent that Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) wants most, but, if that fight doesn’t happen, there are other compelling potential foils at 160, 168 and even 175 pounds for one of the hottest fighters in the world.

Here are five possibilities (in order of desirability).

CANELO ALVAREZ (60-2-2, 39 KOs)

This is the fight. Benavidez’s six-round evisceration of Demetrius Andrade removed any remaining doubt that he’s the biggest threat to Alvarez at 168 pounds and below. Benavidez wants the fight, the fans want the fight, everyone wants the fight. Now it’s up to Alvarez. He has never run from a challenge, although he has been focused more on collecting belts than facing the best possible foes the past several years. He’s 100 percent healthy now, as he demonstrated in a strong performance against Jermell Charlo on Sept. 30. He looked better in that fight than he has in years, a blow to those who have suggested he’s in decline. Canelo, stop collecting belts and fighting smaller men. Face your biggest potential challenge south of 175, Benavidez, who also happens to be your WBC mandatory challenger. Benavidez vs. Alvarez could be the best possible fight in the sport right now.

JERMALL CHARLO (33-0, 22 KOs)

Benavidez might not want to fight two naturally smaller men back to back but Charlo could be a legitimate threat. The 160-pound titleholder bounced back from a 2½-year layoff by easily outpointing courageous, but relatively diminutive Jose Benavidez Jr. on the David Benavidez-Andrade card, showing no obvious ring rust. And he looked comfortable at his weight for the fight, 166.4 pounds, 3.4 over he agreed-upon weight and only 1.6 below the super middleweight limit. It wouldn’t be a stretch for Charlo to fight Benavidez at 168. Charlo’s twin brother has accomplished more than he has but he also is one of the best in the business. He’s skillful (his jab is beautiful), athletic and experienced. And he has a following, which always makes prospective opponents attractive. I think Benavidez would like this matchup. So would the fans.

DAVID MORRELL (9-0, 8 KOs)

Morrell probably is a longshot to land a fight with Benavidez because he doesn’t have a significant following but it would be an intriguing matchup. The former youth amateur star from Cuba, now a resident of Minneapolis, has had only nine pro fights and hasn’t faced a top-tier opponent. Thus, we can’t be certain about his ability. However, he checks all the boxes in terms of the eye test against solid opponents: his skill set, his power, his poise and his ring generalship. He appears to be the complete package, one that might be able to give Benavidez problems. The guess here is that Morrell will have to continue to build his reputation by knocking out progressively better opponents but his time will come. He’s 25, only a year younger than Benavidez. This could be a compelling rivalry in the years to come.

JAIME MUNGUIA (42-0, 33 KOs)

Benavidez has expressed interest in facing Munguia. And for good reason: The former 154-pound champ from Mexico wouldn’t be difficult to find. Munguia, 27, has a similar seek-and-destroy style to that of Benavidez and heavy hands, which accounts for his 33 knockouts. He will come to Benavidez. No holding, no dancing and certainly no running. Just mano a mano. Could Benavidez ask for a better style matchup? Could the fans? Size could be a problem for Munguia, though. He made his debut as a full-fledged 168-pounder in June, when he struggled to beat veteran Sergey Derevyanchenko by a unanimous decision. Like Andrade, he evidently is still growing into the division. That disadvantage could lead to unpleasant fate if he were to meet Benavidez any time soon. Still, this matchup of two sluggers in their primes is appealing to say the least.

DMITRY BIVOL (21-0, 11 KOs)

Benavidez hasn’t indicated that he wants to move up to 175 pounds immediately but a fascinating – and dangerous – option can be found there. Alvarez learned the hard way how good Bivol is when he challenged the Russian titleholder in May of last year, losing a clear decision. Indeed, moving up in weight to face a fighter as skillful as Bivol can be suicide. Would Benavidez fare any better than Alvarez? Well, he’s taller and naturally heavier than Alvarez. That would help. And he might have a better style for Bivol. Slick boxers sometimes have trouble with pressure fighters who don’t allow them room to operate, the tactic Benavidez uses against his opponents. Still, it would be a very difficult fight for Benavidez. And that might be one reason he would take it. He believes he’s destined to be remembered as a great fighter. Great fighters take great risks.

[lawrence-related id=39928,39911,39880,39876]

What’s next for David Benavidez? Here are five compelling possibilities

What’s next for David Benavidez? Here are five compelling potential opponents for the rising star.

With success comes attractive options.

Rising star David Benavidez took another significant step in his career on Saturday in Las Vegas, where the bruising 168-pound contender beat up and knocked out previously unbeaten former two-division titleholder Demetrius Andrade after six rounds.

What’s next for “The Mexican Monster?”

We know the opponent that Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) wants most, but, if that fight doesn’t happen, there are other compelling potential foils at 160, 168 and even 175 pounds for one of the hottest fighters in the world.

Here are five possibilities (in order of desirability).

CANELO ALVAREZ (60-2-2, 39 KOs)

This is the fight. Benavidez’s six-round evisceration of Demetrius Andrade removed any remaining doubt that he’s the biggest threat to Alvarez at 168 pounds and below. Benavidez wants the fight, the fans want the fight, everyone wants the fight. Now it’s up to Alvarez. He has never run from a challenge, although he has been focused more on collecting belts than facing the best possible foes the past several years. He’s 100 percent healthy now, as he demonstrated in a strong performance against Jermell Charlo on Sept. 30. He looked better in that fight than he has in years, a blow to those who have suggested he’s in decline. Canelo, stop collecting belts and fighting smaller men. Face your biggest potential challenge south of 175, Benavidez, who also happens to be your WBC mandatory challenger. Benavidez vs. Alvarez could be the best possible fight in the sport right now.

JERMALL CHARLO (33-0, 22 KOs)

Benavidez might not want to fight two naturally smaller men back to back but Charlo could be a legitimate threat. The 160-pound titleholder bounced back from a 2½-year layoff by easily outpointing courageous, but relatively diminutive Jose Benavidez Jr. on the David Benavidez-Andrade card, showing no obvious ring rust. And he looked comfortable at his weight for the fight, 166.4 pounds, 3.4 over he agreed-upon weight and only 1.6 below the super middleweight limit. It wouldn’t be a stretch for Charlo to fight Benavidez at 168. Charlo’s twin brother has accomplished more than he has but he also is one of the best in the business. He’s skillful (his jab is beautiful), athletic and experienced. And he has a following, which always makes prospective opponents attractive. I think Benavidez would like this matchup. So would the fans.

DAVID MORRELL (9-0, 8 KOs)

Morrell probably is a longshot to land a fight with Benavidez because he doesn’t have a significant following but it would be an intriguing matchup. The former youth amateur star from Cuba, now a resident of Minneapolis, has had only nine pro fights and hasn’t faced a top-tier opponent. Thus, we can’t be certain about his ability. However, he checks all the boxes in terms of the eye test against solid opponents: his skill set, his power, his poise and his ring generalship. He appears to be the complete package, one that might be able to give Benavidez problems. The guess here is that Morrell will have to continue to build his reputation by knocking out progressively better opponents but his time will come. He’s 25, only a year younger than Benavidez. This could be a compelling rivalry in the years to come.

JAIME MUNGUIA (42-0, 33 KOs)

Benavidez has expressed interest in facing Munguia. And for good reason: The former 154-pound champ from Mexico wouldn’t be difficult to find. Munguia, 27, has a similar seek-and-destroy style to that of Benavidez and heavy hands, which accounts for his 33 knockouts. He will come to Benavidez. No holding, no dancing and certainly no running. Just mano a mano. Could Benavidez ask for a better style matchup? Could the fans? Size could be a problem for Munguia, though. He made his debut as a full-fledged 168-pounder in June, when he struggled to beat veteran Sergey Derevyanchenko by a unanimous decision. Like Andrade, he evidently is still growing into the division. That disadvantage could lead to unpleasant fate if he were to meet Benavidez any time soon. Still, this matchup of two sluggers in their primes is appealing to say the least.

DMITRY BIVOL (21-0, 11 KOs)

Benavidez hasn’t indicated that he wants to move up to 175 pounds immediately but a fascinating – and dangerous – option can be found there. Alvarez learned the hard way how good Bivol is when he challenged the Russian titleholder in May of last year, losing a clear decision. Indeed, moving up in weight to face a fighter as skillful as Bivol can be suicide. Would Benavidez fare any better than Alvarez? Well, he’s taller and naturally heavier than Alvarez. That would help. And he might have a better style for Bivol. Slick boxers sometimes have trouble with pressure fighters who don’t allow them room to operate, the tactic Benavidez uses against his opponents. Still, it would be a very difficult fight for Benavidez. And that might be one reason he would take it. He believes he’s destined to be remembered as a great fighter. Great fighters take great risks.

[lawrence-related id=39928,39911,39880,39876]

Pound-for-pound: Does David Benavidez crack Top 15 after sensational KO?

Pound-for-pound: Does David Benavidez crack the Top 15 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list after his brutal KO of Demetrius Andrade?

This one is tricky.

David Benavidez couldn’t have looked much better than he did against Demetrius Andrade on Saturday in Las Vegas, where he put the former two-division titleholder down and pummeled him until the fight was stopped after the sixth round.

Benavidez’s stock certainly went up. However, was it enough for the Honorable Mention (going into the fight) to crack our Top 15?

Yes.

The question was how he would fit in. This is what we did:

  • No. 14 Roman Gonzalez, who has lost twice to Juan Francisco Estrada in his last three fights, drops to Honorable Mention. The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer has no fight scheduled.
  • No. 15 Devin Haney, coming off a victory over No. 11 Vasiliy Lomachenko in a close fight, moves up to No. 14. The 135-pound titleholder will challenge 140-pound champ Regis Prograis on Dec. 9, meaning his position here could change.
  • And Benavidez enters at No. 15, the highest position he has attained.

Honorable Mention Jermall Charlo, a 160-pound titleholder, held his position by outpointing smaller, but determined Jose Benavidez Jr. on the David Benavidez-Andrade card after a 2½-year layoff.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 14 Haney faces Prograis on Dec. 9 in San Francisco.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder Marlon Tapales for the undisputed 122-pound championship on Dec. 26 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound title against Lyndon Arthur on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
  14. Devin Haney – Scheduled to challenge 140-pound titleholder Regis Prograis on Dec. 9 in San Francisco.
  15. David Benavidez – No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Sunny Edwards (scheduled to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled);  Kazuto Ioka (scheduled to defend his 115-pound title against Josber Perez on New Year’s Eve in Japan); Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (scheduled to face Sunny Edwards in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona).

[lawrence-related id=39510,39507,39503,39500,39495,39488]

Pound-for-pound: Does David Benavidez crack Top 15 after sensational KO?

Pound-for-pound: Does David Benavidez crack the Top 15 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list after his brutal KO of Demetrius Andrade?

This one is tricky.

David Benavidez couldn’t have looked much better than he did against Demetrius Andrade on Saturday in Las Vegas, where he put the former two-division titleholder down and pummeled him until the fight was stopped after the sixth round.

Benavidez’s stock certainly went up. However, was it enough for the Honorable Mention (going into the fight) to crack our Top 15?

Yes.

The question was how he would fit in. This is what we did:

  • No. 14 Roman Gonzalez, who has lost twice to Juan Francisco Estrada in his last three fights, drops to Honorable Mention. The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer has no fight scheduled.
  • No. 15 Devin Haney, coming off a victory over No. 11 Vasiliy Lomachenko in a close fight, moves up to No. 14. The 135-pound titleholder will challenge 140-pound champ Regis Prograis on Dec. 9, meaning his position here could change.
  • And Benavidez enters at No. 15, the highest position he has attained.

Honorable Mention Jermall Charlo, a 160-pound titleholder, held his position by outpointing smaller, but determined Jose Benavidez Jr. on the David Benavidez-Andrade card after a 2½-year layoff.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 14 Haney faces Prograis on Dec. 9 in San Francisco.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder Marlon Tapales for the undisputed 122-pound championship on Dec. 26 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound title against Lyndon Arthur on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
  14. Devin Haney – Scheduled to challenge 140-pound titleholder Regis Prograis on Dec. 9 in San Francisco.
  15. David Benavidez – No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Sunny Edwards (scheduled to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled);  Kazuto Ioka (scheduled to defend his 115-pound title against Josber Perez on New Year’s Eve in Japan); Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (scheduled to face Sunny Edwards in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona).

[lawrence-related id=39510,39507,39503,39500,39495,39488]

Weekend Review: David Benavidez’s destructive power was on full, breathtaking display

Weekend Review: David Benavidez’s destructive power was on full display in his sixth-round knockout of Demetrius Andrade on Saturday.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
David Benavidez

David Benavidez has said repeatedly that he has hurt everyone he has faced in the ring. He’s right. He might not knock out all of his opponents – Caleb Plant survived 12 rounds with him, for example – but he’s going to stalk you, he’s going to punish you and, it seems, he’s going to have his hand raised after the fact. That inevitability was on display in its most brutal form on Saturday in Las Vegas, where “The Mexican Monster” walked down, dropped and relentlessly pummeled fellow 168-pound contender Demetrius Andrade until Andrade’s corner stopped the fight after six rounds to save him from a worse fate. Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) never looked more destructive. Afterward he once again called out the king of the division, undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez. Is there anyone who doesn’t believe Benavidez deserves that fight? Is there anyone who doesn’t want to see it? Let’s hope Alvarez sees it that way and finally agrees to face his biggest threat at 168 pounds.

 

BIGGESET LOSER
Demetrius Andrade

Demetrius Andrade (right) took a brutal beating over six rounds. David Becker / Getty Images

We shouldn’t draw firm conclusions from Andrade’s performance in the first meaningful test of his 15-year career. Benavidez didn’t beat him solely because he was the bigger man, as Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) suggested multiple times after the fight. The winner obviously knows what he’s doing. But Benavidez’s physical advantage certainly played a role in his victory over an opponent who started his career as a 154-pounder and was fighting at 168 for only the second time. Andrade looked good for a while, outlanding Benavidez and consistently circling away from trouble before he hit the canvas and quickly deteriorated beginning in Round 4. The Andrade of the first few rounds could give anyone trouble, which is a positive sign for him. He asserted afterward that he’s far from finished at 35. He said he’ll go back to the gym, continue to grow into the division and ponder his next move. “I’ll work on my body a little more,” he said, “and I’ll be right back at it.” He will.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Katie Taylor

What more can she accomplish? Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) was at a crossroads after she lost a decision against then-140-pound champ Chantelle Cameron in May. Many wondered whether the Irishwoman’s time had passed. It hadn’t. The 37-year-old former Olympic champion gave one of her best performances in the rematch with Cameron on Saturday in Dublin, outboxing a naturally bigger opponent to win a majority decision (that should’ve been unanimous) and become an undisputed champion in a second division simultaneously in another entertaining fight. Cameron gave a spirited effort but Taylor consistently beat her to the punch, landing quick, accurate combinations and then clinching to avoid return fire. She was brilliant. The word legend is sometimes thrown around carelessly but that is the type of legacy Taylor has built. If she’s not the greatest female boxer of all time, she certainly is in the conversation.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Subriel Matias (20-1, 20 KOs) gave a David Benavidez-like statement on the Benavidez-Andrade card. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican survived some tough early moments to destroy fellow slugger Shohjahon Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs) after five rounds to retain his 140-pound title and bolster his reputation as one of the sport’s most dangerous punchers. He has forced his last five opponents to retire on their stools, although Ergashev complained of a leg injury. Matias appears to be in the class of the best fighters around his weight, including his fellow beltholders and the top 135-pounders. He’ll have to face one of them for us to know for sure, though. … Middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) made a successful return after a 2½-year hiatus to focus on his mental health, easily outpointing durable, but overmatched Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-3-1, 19 KOs) in a 10-round bout on the Benavidez-Andrade show. Rust? I didn’t see any. He boxed beautifully, using his superb jab and quick, heavy combinations to dominate the fight. Benavidez was able to survive only because of his unusual durability. Now Charlo can focus on bigger challenges. He could still be in the Alvarez sweepstakes and there are a number of good options at 160. Charlo is back. …

Hector Luis Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) might be a one-year wonder. The 130-pounder from the Dominican Republic made a splash by outpointing Chris Colbert and Roger Gutierrez last year, positioning himself as a potential star. But he has fallen flat this year, getting stopped by Gervonta Davis at 135 in January and losing a split decision and his title to Lamont Roach on the Benavidez-Andrade card. Garcia took a big swing and missed against Davis. OK. His performance against Roach was less defendable, as he wasn’t active enough to overcome a beatable opponent. It will be difficult for him to rebuild after the back-to-back setbacks. Meanwhile, Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) did what it took to become a major titleholder. The well-schooled boxer from the Washington, D.C. area didn’t do much either but he took the fight to Garcia and landed the cleaner punches. Roach obviously is a capable fighter. …

Nevada officials had a bad night. A mistake by referee Tony Weeks cost Garcia his belt. Weeks missed the fact that Roach put Garcia down in the 12th round with a punch that landed behind the head, which is illegal. The result would’ve been a draw had Roach won the round 10-9, which would’ve allowed Garcia to retain his title. Why didn’t officials go to instant replay? If it’s not used for such calls, why not? A bad ruling should’ve been reversed. … In the Matias-Ergashev fight, Ergashev kept his extended lead arm in Matias’ face to keep Matis at a distance favorable to Ergashev. That’s also illegal. Referee Celestino Ruiz should’ve prevented Ergashev from doing that. … And in the Charlo-Benavidez fight, Charlo had a chance to score a knockout late in the final round when referee Harvey Dock more or less tackled Charlo to untangle the fighters. Had Dock let the fighters do their work, Charlo might’ve gotten his stoppage.

[lawrence-related id=39880,39876,39842,39839,39836,39846]

Weekend Review: David Benavidez’s destructive power was on full, breathtaking display

Weekend Review: David Benavidez’s destructive power was on full display in his sixth-round knockout of Demetrius Andrade on Saturday.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
David Benavidez

David Benavidez has said repeatedly that he has hurt everyone he has faced in the ring. He’s right. He might not knock out all of his opponents – Caleb Plant survived 12 rounds with him, for example – but he’s going to stalk you, he’s going to punish you and, it seems, he’s going to have his hand raised after the fact. That inevitability was on display in its most brutal form on Saturday in Las Vegas, where “The Mexican Monster” walked down, dropped and relentlessly pummeled fellow 168-pound contender Demetrius Andrade until Andrade’s corner stopped the fight after six rounds to save him from a worse fate. Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) never looked more destructive. Afterward he once again called out the king of the division, undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez. Is there anyone who doesn’t believe Benavidez deserves that fight? Is there anyone who doesn’t want to see it? Let’s hope Alvarez sees it that way and finally agrees to face his biggest threat at 168 pounds.

 

BIGGESET LOSER
Demetrius Andrade

Demetrius Andrade (right) took a brutal beating over six rounds. David Becker / Getty Images

We shouldn’t draw firm conclusions from Andrade’s performance in the first meaningful test of his 15-year career. Benavidez didn’t beat him solely because he was the bigger man, as Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) suggested multiple times after the fight. The winner obviously knows what he’s doing. But Benavidez’s physical advantage certainly played a role in his victory over an opponent who started his career as a 154-pounder and was fighting at 168 for only the second time. Andrade looked good for a while, outlanding Benavidez and consistently circling away from trouble before he hit the canvas and quickly deteriorated beginning in Round 4. The Andrade of the first few rounds could give anyone trouble, which is a positive sign for him. He asserted afterward that he’s far from finished at 35. He said he’ll go back to the gym, continue to grow into the division and ponder his next move. “I’ll work on my body a little more,” he said, “and I’ll be right back at it.” He will.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Katie Taylor

What more can she accomplish? Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) was at a crossroads after she lost a decision against then-140-pound champ Chantelle Cameron in May. Many wondered whether the Irishwoman’s time had passed. It hadn’t. The 37-year-old former Olympic champion gave one of her best performances in the rematch with Cameron on Saturday in Dublin, outboxing a naturally bigger opponent to win a majority decision (that should’ve been unanimous) and become an undisputed champion in a second division simultaneously in another entertaining fight. Cameron gave a spirited effort but Taylor consistently beat her to the punch, landing quick, accurate combinations and then clinching to avoid return fire. She was brilliant. The word legend is sometimes thrown around carelessly but that is the type of legacy Taylor has built. If she’s not the greatest female boxer of all time, she certainly is in the conversation.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Subriel Matias (20-1, 20 KOs) gave a David Benavidez-like statement on the Benavidez-Andrade card. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican survived some tough early moments to destroy fellow slugger Shohjahon Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs) after five rounds to retain his 140-pound title and bolster his reputation as one of the sport’s most dangerous punchers. He has forced his last five opponents to retire on their stools, although Ergashev complained of a leg injury. Matias appears to be in the class of the best fighters around his weight, including his fellow beltholders and the top 135-pounders. He’ll have to face one of them for us to know for sure, though. … Middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) made a successful return after a 2½-year hiatus to focus on his mental health, easily outpointing durable, but overmatched Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-3-1, 19 KOs) in a 10-round bout on the Benavidez-Andrade show. Rust? I didn’t see any. He boxed beautifully, using his superb jab and quick, heavy combinations to dominate the fight. Benavidez was able to survive only because of his unusual durability. Now Charlo can focus on bigger challenges. He could still be in the Alvarez sweepstakes and there are a number of good options at 160. Charlo is back. …

Hector Luis Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) might be a one-year wonder. The 130-pounder from the Dominican Republic made a splash by outpointing Chris Colbert and Roger Gutierrez last year, positioning himself as a potential star. But he has fallen flat this year, getting stopped by Gervonta Davis at 135 in January and losing a split decision and his title to Lamont Roach on the Benavidez-Andrade card. Garcia took a big swing and missed against Davis. OK. His performance against Roach was less defendable, as he wasn’t active enough to overcome a beatable opponent. It will be difficult for him to rebuild after the back-to-back setbacks. Meanwhile, Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) did what it took to become a major titleholder. The well-schooled boxer from the Washington, D.C. area didn’t do much either but he took the fight to Garcia and landed the cleaner punches. Roach obviously is a capable fighter. …

Nevada officials had a bad night. A mistake by referee Tony Weeks cost Garcia his belt. Weeks missed the fact that Roach put Garcia down in the 12th round with a punch that landed behind the head, which is illegal. The result would’ve been a draw had Roach won the round 10-9, which would’ve allowed Garcia to retain his title. Why didn’t officials go to instant replay? If it’s not used for such calls, why not? A bad ruling should’ve been reversed. … In the Matias-Ergashev fight, Ergashev kept his extended lead arm in Matias’ face to keep Matis at a distance favorable to Ergashev. That’s also illegal. Referee Celestino Ruiz should’ve prevented Ergashev from doing that. … And in the Charlo-Benavidez fight, Charlo had a chance to score a knockout late in the final round when referee Harvey Dock more or less tackled Charlo to untangle the fighters. Had Dock let the fighters do their work, Charlo might’ve gotten his stoppage.

[lawrence-related id=39880,39876,39842,39839,39836,39846]