News Dmitry Bivol vs David Benavidez being finalized for summer 2025

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

Lowest total opponent punches landed per round, Andrade is number 2. Shakur 1. Benavidez is top 5 in plus minus also just behind Bivol. Not bad for someone with poor defense.. lol. The top 10 in plus minus is all p4p fighters. David is in good company.

Plus/Minus is neat and all but it's not as useful as you might think. Lomachenko was once the highest rated Plus/Minus fighter since Floyd and he still had tough fights and lost. Bivol went into the first Beterbiev fight as the least hit fighter in boxing and he still lost. At the end of the day they're just stats that should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[borntoloseNOT]

I might… no definitely would have scoffed at this fight last year. Not because I wouldn’t commend David for taking it, but because I would have suspected his chances very low. Now, after seeing Bivol go 1/1 with Beter, a pair of fights that made both look human, and then there was Benavidez beating Morrell in a convincing fashion and calling it “easy” after the fight. Think I’ve learned my lesson about hyperbole. I think this will be a close fight.

(And Yes, I’m aware Morrell had limited professional fights at that point, and yes I’m aware I literally said the eye test means nothing against bums like 5 seconds ago in another thread, but I stand by my prediction because in my eyes until someone laid the blue print how to beat him, Morrell was going to be a major problem for anyone in the division. )

I’m anticipating Bivol/Beterbiev 3, it’s too logical, but I can’t lie the more enticing fights to ME are

Bivol/Benavidez
Beterbiev/Benavidez

Looks really really fun either one we may get.

That and Morrell/Callum ( @Kovalev's "Man Bag" )

 

[StopDucking]

Lowest total opponent punches landed per round, Andrade is number 2. Shakur 1. Benavidez is top 5 in plus minus also just behind Bivol. Not bad for someone with poor defense.. lol. The top 10 in plus minus is all p4p fighters. David is in good company.

Number is punches taken is an useless stat, only percentage of punches taken matters.

Here's why: if you took 6 punches per rounds but your opponent only threw 6 punches per rounds, that's terrible defense; if you took 10 punches per rounds but your opponent threw 100 punches per rounds, that's wonderful defense.

Obviously, the difference isn't as extreme when it comes to Andrade but the fact he's ranked #2 in punches taken but only #7 in percentage means his defense isn't as great as you would like to think.

 

[NaughtyBoy]

Finally, Benavidez man up.

 

[that Indian]

I might… no definitely would have scoffed at this fight last year. Not because I wouldn’t commend David for taking it, but because I would have suspected his chances very low. Now, after seeing Bivol go 1/1 with Beter, a pair of fights that made both look human, and then there was Benavidez beating Morrell in a convincing fashion and calling it “easy” after the fight. Think I’ve learned my lesson about hyperbole. I think this will be a close fight.

(And Yes, I’m aware Morrell had limited professional fights at that point, and yes I’m aware I literally said the eye test means nothing against bums like 5 seconds ago in another thread, but I stand by my prediction because in my eyes until someone laid the blue print how to beat him, Morrell was going to be a major problem for anyone in the division. )

I’m anticipating Bivol/Beterbiev 3, it’s too logical, but I can’t lie the more enticing fights to ME are

Bivol/Benavidez
Beterbiev/Benavidez

Looks really really fun either one we may get.

That and Morrell/Callum ( @Kovalev's "Man Bag" )

Morrell/Smith would be an absolute banger! However, if I'm Smith I'm looking at Benavidez since we're probably going to get the trilogy (the last, last crescendo).

It's a dangerous fight for Benavidez since Smith can crack, but he should ultimately grind towards a late stoppage

 

[WklySportsMemes]

People really running and floating with the rumor that Benavidez got the better of Bivol when they were sparring. Even David to a point. I find it hard to believe. But who knows. Think they both are much improved fighters & a 12 round war can change an outcome vs sparring.

 

[moosaev]

Morrell/Smith would be an absolute banger! However, if I'm Smith I'm looking at Benavidez since we're probably going to get the trilogy (the last, last crescendo).

It's a dangerous fight for Benavidez since Smith can crack, but he should ultimately grind towards a late stoppage

I'm pretty positive team Benavidez will go after Callum Smith, not Bivol. And Smith is on his last legs imo, Buatsi i think was his last heroic effort, and that fight took A LOT out of him (as did the Beterbiev fight). Benavidez will stop him and everyone will say it's proof that he's ready for Bivol lol.

 

[Boxiana]

Huge step up for Benevidez in what would be his 3rd fight at LHW and his best win a raw Morell or Caleb Plant.

 

[Severen]

Number is punches taken is an useless stat, only percentage of punches taken matters.

Here's why: if you took 6 punches per rounds but your opponent only threw 6 punches per rounds, that's terrible defense; if you took 10 punches per rounds but your opponent threw 100 punches per rounds, that's wonderful defense.

Obviously, the difference isn't as extreme when it comes to Andrade but the fact he's ranked #2 in punches taken but only #7 in percentage means his defense isn't as great as you would like to think.

Yes if an opponent can only get off 1 punch a round and land it at 100% that is clearly awful defense. You got me.

 

[Tatra]

If Benavidez's sparring stories matched his in-ring performances then that would be worth considering. However, they don't. He's looked pretty poor ever since he moved up to light heavyweight. Not only have the knockouts dried up he can't even put his opponents down. One of the more famous recent examples of a "sparring champion" was Andy Lee. The so-called King of Kronk according to Emanuel Steward himself. Andy's in-ring performances didn't match his ability in sparring. He was stopped multiple times and by guys that had no business doing that to him.

Lee had a notoriously fragile chin. Billy Joe Saunders badly floored him 3 times when they fought. But man, he had one helluva right hook...

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

Lee had a notoriously fragile chin. Billy Joe Saunders badly floored him 3 times when they fought. But man, he had one helluva right hook...

Yeah. Good fighter though and his left hook was pretty badass.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

UPDATE:

Ordered by WBC

 

[borntoloseNOT]

UPDATE:

Ordered by WBC

I would prefer this fight now as opposed to later. Let’s hope WBCs limpdicked order sways Cajillionaire Saudi gods to change their omnipotent boxing fantasies for a pissant sanctioning bodies pussy ass orders.

 

[Severen]

Watch Bivol drop that belt.

 

[Blastbeat]

Bivol should drop the belt if it means he gets to face Beterbiev again
I wanna see that fight ten more times
But no really I want to settle the trilogy between them. Two close fights, we need a third.
Benavidez can fight Callum Smith or someone else to stay busy. Joe Smith Jr would be a fun fight for him

 

[Severen]

They can have a 3rd after Benavidez. Since when have we ever seen a trilogy 3 fights in a row? The fights weren't that good.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

UPDATE 2:

Fight is being finalized for this summer

 

[MMALOPEZ]

UPDATE 2:

Fight is being finalized for this summer

I’m hearing that if it happens - PBC is fully involved on the event

 

[MMALOPEZ]

UPDATE 2:

Fight is being finalized for this summer

I’m hearing that if it happens - PBC is fully involved on the event

 

[BoxerMaurits]

I’m hearing that if it happens - PBC is fully involved on the event

Yeah PBC and Matchroom according to the reports