WHOA!! David Benavidez and Sampson Lewkowicz sends a firm message to Dmitry Bivol if he really wants the fight: "Either the fight happens in America or get stripped!"

[Joseph]

I get the feeling Benny has these sparring stories and the competitiveness between Bivol and Beterbiev incorrectly floating around his frontal lobe. No way Bivol fights him the exact same way and sparring means next to nothing. I think he's pushing for what he feels is an easy fight, but I got news for him...

[crimsonfalcon07]

so what are the Benavidez believers seeing in him

Bena throws 125 punches less per fight than Artur does

His main shot is the left hook which Bivol doesn’t get hit with

TBH, I'm not sure. He's got a slight reach advantage and he's younger, but his gas tank wasn't that great at his fights at 175, certainly not better than Beterbiev's in either fight, and his power hasn't carried up either. He walks to his opponents, so I don't see him doing a better job cutting the ring than Artur, his volume is lower, etc. Basically everything he does, Beterbiev looks like he does better.

IF he can cut better than Beterbiev, I think he's a bit better at body work, and maybe his defense and accuracy will be better? He's probably a bit faster than Beterbiev. And I like that he uses guard strips to land his offense; that could be effective vs Bivol's high guard if he can get in range to do it.

But, frankly, the saying "styles make fights" to these eyes doesn't look good for him, because his style is to literally walk after his opponents with a high guard, absorb their shots on his guard, and then open up and try to wear them down. Zero stoppages at 175 doesn't bode well to his ability to be more of a threat than Beterbiev, especially since he likes to hook, and that's not a great recipe for success vs a guy who uses predominantly straight punches on the back foot, never lets you rest because he's got the gas to go high volume for 12, and does so every fight. Bivol is probably the hardest guy to pin down on the ropes in all of boxing.

Benavidez just doesn't have the work ethic to keep up with either of the Russians. He maybe has the potential if he did have the work ethic, but I can't see him winning more than 4 rounds unless the judges have been slipped some PBC envelopes under the table. That seems to me to be the most plausible reason for Benavidez' promoters to want the fight in the US... PBC has a long recent history of refs and judges looking corrupt as hell, such as Rolly getting gifted a title shot at 140 coming off a knockout loss at 135 and with zero fights in the division, then getting gifted the win without landing a single shot in the flurry that ended the fight, clear to the most recent Tank Davis not getting so much as a knockdown ruled when he blatantly took a knee and then got illegal corner assistance in the middle of a round.

[garfios]

Bivol will duck this demand and proceed with the trilogy against 40 something year old Beterbiev. I hope I'm wrong but something inside me says Bivol doesn't like his chances against Benavidez. Remember folks, styles make fights.

Are you serious?

[deathofaclown]

No belt, not a big ticket seller and making demands to the undisputed champ that whooped Canelo and beat Beterbiev.

Bivol could be p4p no.1..he's beaten two top 5 p4p fighters at the time of beating them. Usyk, Inoue, Crawford etc cannot claim that.

Benavidez has no bargaining chip here. He's not even been getting better purses than Bivol has in Saudi.

This is why the PBC guys are no longer relevant, they think they call the shots when the game has moved on without them.

Sounds to me he just wants Bivol to get stripped and pick up a vacant belt. Anyone that truly wants the undisputed champion will not make demands like that and accept they're a clear B-side for now.

[keith_head]

TBH, I'm not sure. He's got a slight reach advantage and he's younger, but his gas tank wasn't that great at his fights at 175, certainly not better than Beterbiev's in either fight, and his power hasn't carried up either. He walks to his opponents, so I don't see him doing a better job cutting the ring than Artur, his volume is lower, etc. Basically everything he does, Beterbiev looks like he does better.

IF he can cut better than Beterbiev, I think he's a bit better at body work, and maybe his defense and accuracy will be better? He's probably a bit faster than Beterbiev. And I like that he uses guard strips to land his offense; that could be effective vs Bivol's high guard if he can get in range to do it.

But, frankly, the saying "styles make fights" to these eyes doesn't look good for him, because his style is to literally walk after his opponents with a high guard, absorb their shots on his guard, and then open up and try to wear them down. Zero stoppages at 175 doesn't bode well to his ability to be more of a threat than Beterbiev, especially since he likes to hook, and that's not a great recipe for success vs a guy who uses predominantly straight punches on the back foot, never lets you rest because he's got the gas to go high volume for 12, and does so every fight. Bivol is probably the hardest guy to pin down on the ropes in all of boxing.

Benavidez just doesn't have the work ethic to keep up with either of the Russians. He maybe has the potential if he did have the work ethic, but I can't see him winning more than 4 rounds unless the judges have been slipped some PBC envelopes under the table. That seems to me to be the most plausible reason for Benavidez' promoters to want the fight in the US... PBC has a long recent history of refs and judges looking corrupt as hell, such as Rolly getting gifted a title shot at 140 coming off a knockout loss at 135 and with zero fights in the division, then getting gifted the win without landing a single shot in the flurry that ended the fight, clear to the most recent Tank Davis not getting so much as a knockdown ruled when he blatantly took a knee and then got illegal corner assistance in the middle of a round.

Agree so much with all of this.

I also think Beterbiev himself would eat Benavidez alive.

[JakeTheBoxer]

No belt, not a big ticket seller and making demands to the undisputed champ that whooped Canelo and beat Beterbiev.

Bivol could be p4p no.1..he's beaten two top 5 p4p fighters at the time of beating them. Usyk, Inoue, Crawford etc cannot claim that.

Benavidez has no bargaining chip here. He's not even been getting better purses than Bivol has in Saudi.

This is why the PBC guys are no longer relevant, they think they call the shots when the game has moved on without them.

Sounds to me he just wants Bivol to get stripped and pick up a vacant belt. Anyone that truly wants the undisputed champion will not make demands like that and accept they're a clear B-side for now.

This is exactly what is happening

They hope Bivol gets stripped. So that Benavidez will fight for vacant Wbc belt and take a belt histage in little Pbc events claiming Bivol is ducking him because Bivol is not ******, he will keep on fighting in Arabia.

[Oracle01]

Benavidez is a much bigger name than Bivol. He is one of the few ppv vegas main eventers in the sport. So he brings exposure, and solid ppv and gate. Bivol is a nobody who can't draw flies. Even with the rub of beating Canelo he is still a nobody in the boxing world apart from with hardcores.

[SouthpawRight]

I get the feeling Benny has these sparring stories and the competitiveness between Bivol and Beterbiev incorrectly floating around his frontal lobe. No way Bivol fights him the exact same way and sparring means next to nothing. I think he's pushing for what he feels is an easy fight, but I got news for him...

I’ve seen the way both spar

I believe David did work Bivol in sparring

David is Mexican and approaches sparring like a fight going for gym wars. He does hard sparring

Bivol spars to practice and goes lower intensity to work on techniques. He does things in sparring we rarely see him do in fights like hooks to the body

David goes hard in sparring Bivol goes moderate, so David worked him

Zurdo is another one that allegedly got the better of it sparring Bivol

This is exactly what is happening

They hope Bivol gets stripped. So that Benavidez will fight for vacant Wbc belt and take a belt histage in little Pbc events claiming Bivol is ducking him because Bivol is not ******, he will keep on fighting in Arabia.

I believe David himself is cool with the trilogy but his manager wants to get paid immediately

Remember David himself admitted that the trilogy has priority

Benavidez is a much bigger name than Bivol. He is one of the few ppv vegas main eventers in the sport. So he brings exposure, and solid ppv and gate. Bivol is a nobody who can't draw flies. Even with the rub of beating Canelo he is still a nobody in the boxing world apart from with hardcores.

only in David’s homeland the US and Mexico. People most high on David are in fact his fellow Americans even more so than Mexicans

per Google trends there’s a greater global interest in Bivol’s fights than there is for David

Bivol 9-3 Alvarez was great for global recognition

[SouthpawRight]

TBH, I'm not sure. He's got a slight reach advantage and he's younger, but his gas tank wasn't that great at his fights at 175, certainly not better than Beterbiev's in either fight, and his power hasn't carried up either. He walks to his opponents, so I don't see him doing a better job cutting the ring than Artur, his volume is lower, etc. Basically everything he does, Beterbiev looks like he does better.

IF he can cut better than Beterbiev, I think he's a bit better at body work, and maybe his defense and accuracy will be better? He's probably a bit faster than Beterbiev. And I like that he uses guard strips to land his offense; that could be effective vs Bivol's high guard if he can get in range to do it.

But, frankly, the saying "styles make fights" to these eyes doesn't look good for him, because his style is to literally walk after his opponents with a high guard, absorb their shots on his guard, and then open up and try to wear them down. Zero stoppages at 175 doesn't bode well to his ability to be more of a threat than Beterbiev, especially since he likes to hook, and that's not a great recipe for success vs a guy who uses predominantly straight punches on the back foot, never lets you rest because he's got the gas to go high volume for 12, and does so every fight. Bivol is probably the hardest guy to pin down on the ropes in all of boxing.

Benavidez just doesn't have the work ethic to keep up with either of the Russians. He maybe has the potential if he did have the work ethic, but I can't see him winning more than 4 rounds unless the judges have been slipped some PBC envelopes under the table. That seems to me to be the most plausible reason for Benavidez' promoters to want the fight in the US... PBC has a long recent history of refs and judges looking corrupt as hell, such as Rolly getting gifted a title shot at 140 coming off a knockout loss at 135 and with zero fights in the division, then getting gifted the win without landing a single shot in the flurry that ended the fight, clear to the most recent Tank Davis not getting so much as a knockdown ruled when he blatantly took a knee and then got illegal corner assistance in the middle of a round.

yes I’m not seeing the hype for Benavidez chances here

shots that work on Bivol the straight right hand down the pipe, the overhand, and long punches downstairs

Benavidez isn’t known for these

For an idea of what troubles Bivol I go to the Craig Richards bout

Craig who isn’t on Bivol’s level still managed to win 3 rounds later on in the fight.

The taller and much longer Richards used his reach length to catch Bivol with straights. he exploited the fact that Bivol isn’t tall for these weights yet fights like a tall guy

Smith Jr was outclassed but hurt Bivol twice with overhands first in the 4th round and then later in the 10th

Tiger Paw Artur timed Bivol with hard counter straight rights a couple of times in exchanges

these techniques aren’t Benavidez who spams left hooks, loves the short right hook to the body, and has a decent jab

[Oracle01]

only in David’s homeland the US and Mexico. People most high on David are in fact his fellow Americans even more so than Mexicans

per Google trends there’s a greater global interest in Bivol’s fights than there is for David

Bivol 9-3 Alvarez was great for global recognition

Benavidez has a bigger profile everywhere other than Russia. He has far more mainstream exposure, his fights have had more exposure. When you say US and Mexico, thats literally the biggest chunk of fans in the sport. Benavidez fights on PPV vs anyone, while Bivol fights on small cards or way down the card, unless its vs Canelo or Beterbiev. Bivol is a nobody unless its hardcore fans and even then Benavidez is far more popular.