Benavidez: ‘I just reminded everyone who the real champion at 168 is’

On Saturday night at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, David Benavídez showed why he could be the best fighter at 168 pounds.

Benavidez showed off his power and skills when he stopped former two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade after the sixth round when Andrade’s corner stopped the fight.

In possibly the best performance of his career, the 26-year-old Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs), fighting his first southpaw in seven years, bloodied and pounded Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs).

Andrade is a fighter many believed was avoided by some of the top guys in the sport, but Benavidez, who dropped Andrade in the fourth round, was ready and able to get the job done.

“Everybody says I’m not this, I’m not that, I’m flat-footed, I have no defense,” Benavidez said. “This guy probably applied one of the best defenses. He’s really good offensively. He could barely even hit me, so I think that says a lot on its own. I just have to keep beating who they put in front of me. I’m the best. I’m going to be the best. I’m going to be a legend by the time I’m done, so whoever you keep putting in front of me, I’ll keep knocking them down.”

Courtesy: Ryan Hafey/PBC

Benavídez punctuated his performance with an embrace of Mike Tyson outside the ring following the stoppage. Tyson famously dubbed Benavídez the “Mexican Monster.”

“I just told Mike Tyson that I love him and thank you so much for the motivation he’s given me,” Benavídez said. “It’s not every day a boxing legend like Mike Tyson gives people nicknames, so I just want to live up to my name.”

The only guy left for Benavidez to beat at 168 pounds is undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez, who he called out after defeating Andrade.

“I just reminded everyone who the real champion at 168 is,” he said. Who wants to see me versus Canelo? I’m going to be super middleweight champion of the world, three-time world champion. Now, just give me the fight that we all want to see. Who wants to see Benavídez versus Canelo?”

The 35-year-old Andrade, who fought for the second time at 168 pounds, says he will return.

“I’ll be back – back to the drawing board,” he said. “I moved up in weight classes. I’ll work on my body a little more, and I’ll be right back at it. I thought overall I did everything I needed to do to get the bigger man off me. David’s definitely a hell of a fighter. Nobody was even willing to get in the ring with him. I tried to become a three-division world champion. That’s not far-fetched. David was the man tonight. Benavídez is the bigger man.”

Benavidez was not only the bigger man, but he was the better man, and hopefully, he will finally get Canelo next.