Via Jack Tiernan: David Benavidez predicts Saturday’s fight with David Lemieux will not go the distance when the two KO artists meet for the WBC’s 168-lb interim crown on Showtime.
(Image source: Esther Lin / SHOWTIME)
Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs) met Lemieux (43-4, 36 KOs) with a menacing look in their head-to-head clash Saturday night after both weighed in at 166 1/4 lbs for the lead. them at the 19,000-seat Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Benavidez, 25, can’t afford to lose this match against 33-year-old Lemieux if he wants to maintain his chances of winning the WBC super-middleweight title Canelo Alvarez in 2023.
Even if Benavidez wins on Saturday, there’s no doubt that Canelo will give him a chance to fight for his title.
But at least defeating Lemieux, Benavidez will have a valuable bargain to get a title ahead of Canelo or be elevated to full champion if he leaves.
KO prediction from Benavidez
“I’m so happy to be here in front of all the fans and all of my supporters,” David Benavidez said in his final words after Friday’s brainstorm for his battle with David Lemieux on Saturday night.
Lemieux’s Greatest Battle:
Gennadiy Golovkin
Gabriel Rosado
Curtis Stevens
Billy Joe Saunders
Marco Antonio Rubio
Joachim Alcine
Hassan N’Dam
Hector Camacho Jr
“This match won’t go far. There will be a knockout, and I will win that title again,” continued Benavidez.
⚖️ ✅ We are officially ready for the duel in the desert ️🌵
Do not miss @ Benavidez300 and @lemieuxboxing throw your hands at 10 p.m. ET tomorrow at 7 p.m. pacific time @Showtime pic.twitter.com/sd574rII1h
– SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) May 20, 2022
“I put everything into this training camp, but I only fight one game at a time. My mind and focus is 100% on David Lemieux, and we’re going to go in there and make this fight, and we’ll see what happens after that,” Benavidez said.
With the kind of power that both Benavidez and Lemieux possess, someone will be knocked down in the fight this Saturday night. While Lemieux is no longer at his peak, he can still punch with great power and potentially take out Benavidez if he lands cleanly.
Benavidez knows what will happen
“David Lemieux has used the same style his whole career, so I don’t think he’s going to do anything different,” Benavidez told. Against TV Hub. “We just have to see what happens.
“He does the same with everything he does. He’s just looking for the big hook on the left. He has a good left hook and a good left cut. He does everything the same way. I will agree. He’s a good fighter, but he’s really basic.
“I watched Lemieux-Golovkin, Lemieux-Rosado, and a lot of his fights. I used to watch him when I was about to play, so I almost know him already,” Benavidez said.
