Via Craig Daly: Eddie Hearn said David Benavidez’s destruction of former IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux last Saturday night left him in the dark as the Canadian boxer had recently failed to impress.
Hearn says he expects that former two-time WBC super-middleweight champion Benavidez (26-0.23 KOs) will destroy 33-year-old Lemieux (43-5, 36 KOs) in their title match on Showtime at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Unfortunately, #1 WBC Benavidez has little choice as Lemieux is ranked #2 in the 168 rating for the World Boxing Council.
The sanctioning body hit Benavidez & Lemieux for their provisional 168-lb WBC title. However, the interim title does not guarantee Benavidez a title ahead of champion Canelo Alvarez as the Mexican star holds the Franchise card since he fought in the 160th place.
But, assuming Canelo win the next 2-3 games against Gennadiy Golovkin, Dmitry Bivol and possibly John Ryder, he could face Benavidez in May 2023.
Lemieux shoots to pieces
“David Benavidez is a very good fighter. Two, David Lemieux was completely shot“Hearn said to DAZN Boxing Show.
“We saw that in his last few games. He was in the ring against the journeymen, so the battle don’t say anything to me because I know how good David Benavidez is,” Hearn continued about Lemieux looking poorly in recent games.
“It always happens with Lemieux, but Benavidez is a very good fighter,” Hearn said.
The performance showed just how overwhelming Benavidez can be as he opened with his constant bouts of embarrassment as he was brutal when delivering his shots.
For fans who were impressed with the enduring synergies Bivol threw in the fight with Canelo earlier this month, Benavidez took it to the next level with his tackles.
There’s a scene in the first round where Benavidez throws 15 shots in a row that gets Lemieux in serious trouble.
Bivol failed to throw as many shots in the fifth inning match he took on Canelo on May 7.
Canelo-Benavidez needs to be built
“It will be a really big fight. Let’s make it bigger“Hearn talks about the clash between Canelo and Benavidez.
“[Benavidez] dying for a real war. He wants one. So give it to him. He is a star. He’s a big name. “
“When you fight someone like Canelo, you have to fight someone and put on a performance so people don’t give Canelo any choice but to fight you. He [Benavidez] will do it.
“Hell [Benavidez] contract to fight those guys [Caleb Plant & Jermall Charlo] such.
“Forced to solve the problem with a real war. I know Benavidez wants a real fight because I talked to him and Jose Benavidez. He’s a great fighter,” Hearn said.
