Benavidez vs. Andrade

In a night filled with intense boxing action, the Benavidez vs. Andrade event saw David “Mexican Monster” Benavidez overpower Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade in a dramatic super middleweight showdown. Alongside, Jermall Charlo marked a victorious return by outclassing Jose Benavidez, Jr. The card also featured impressive victories for Subriel Matias, Lamont Roach, Jr., and Michel Rivera, with Vito Mielnicki, Jr. making a significant statement in his bout.

In what promises to be an enthralling contest, David Benavidez is set to defend his WBC interim super middleweight title against the formidable Demetrius Andrade on November 25th at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. This Showtime pay-per-view bout comes amid questions surrounding Benavidez’s true capabilities. While Benavidez has overcome numerous B & C-tier fighters, he hasn’t faced an elite contender like Andrade yet. Many wonder if Benavidez’s impressive record is just a result of strategic maneuvering by his promoters.

At 26, Benavidez holds the advantage in age and size, but Andrade, who began at the 154-lb division, is not to be underestimated. Known as 'Boo Boo', Andrade has long sought mega-fights against the likes of Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin, which have remained elusive. With the upcoming bout, Andrade finally gets a high-profile match that could potentially lead to a fight with four-belt 168-lb champion, Canelo Alvarez, in 2024.

Speculation around Benavidez’s weight and ability to remain effective in the super middleweight division has been rife. Chris Algieri commented on the upcoming clash, suggesting Andrade and his team see a potential vulnerability in Benavidez. Benavidez's last fight against Caleb Plant raised eyebrows, with many believing Plant could've secured victory if not for his late fade.

With Benavidez’s past opponents including names like Plant, David Lemieux, and Ronald Ellis, it’s clear that Andrade represents a step up in competition. Boxing enthusiasts eagerly await to see if Benavidez can truly establish himself as the next big thing in the 168-lb division or if he will be exposed by a superior talent in Andrade.

In the co-main event, the undefeated Jermall Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs), at 33 years old, returns after a two-year hiatus to fight against Jose Benavídez (28-2-1, 19 KOs). Holding the WBC middleweight belt since 2019, Charlo has demonstrated his prowess in the division with a remarkable victory over Sergey Derevyanchenko in September 2020. Charlo's move from super welterweight, where he reigned from 2015 to 2017, to middleweight has been seamless, as evidenced by his perfect 7-0 record in this category. His career highlights include victories over Julian Williams, Austin Trout, and Cornelius Bundrage, with Williams and Bundrage suffering knockout defeats.

Phoenix's own Jose Benavídez, trained by his father José Sr., is a seasoned contender with an accomplished amateur background. After an unsuccessful world title challenge against Terence Crawford in 2018 at welterweight, Benavídez moved up to super welterweight in July 2022. His super welterweight debut saw him lose a close majority decision to Danny Garcia, followed by a successful move to the 160-pound division, where he triumphed over Sladan Janjanin.

In the undercard, Subriel Matías (19-1, 19 KOs) squares off against Shohjahon Ergashev (23-0, 20 KOs). The 31-year-old IBF 140-pound champion from Puerto Rico has proven his knockout prowess throughout his fights, with his last seven victories coming via stoppage in the fifth round or later. Despite a setback against Petros Ananyan in 2020, Matías avenged this loss in a rematch, showcasing his resilience and determination.

Shohjahon Ergashev, an Uzbekistan native now fighting out of Detroit under renowned trainer SugarHill Steward, has dominated since turning pro in 2015. His impressive U.S. debut in late 2017 was highlighted by a victory over Sonny Fredrickson, followed by a win over Mykal Fox in 2019. Ergashev's recent victories in 2022 further solidified his position in the sport.

Main card (PPV):

▪️David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade, 12 rounds, for Benavidez’s interim WBC super middleweight title ▪️Jermall Charlo vs. Jose Benavidez Jr, 10 rounds, middleweight ▪️Subriel Matias vs. Shohjahon Ergashev, 12 rounds, for Matias’ IBF super lightweight title ▪️Hector Luis Garcia vs. Lamont Roach, 12 rounds, for Garcia’s WBA super featherweight title

Prelims (YouTube):

▪️Sergey Lipinets vs. Michel Rivera, 10 rounds, super lightweight ▪️Vito Mielnicki Jr. vs. Alexis Salazar, 10 rounds, super welterweight

Undercard (Non-televised):

▪️Pablo Vicente vs. Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov, 10 rounds, for WBC super featherweight title eliminator ▪️Curmel Moton vs. Hunter Turbyfill, 4 rounds, super featherweight ▪️Daniel Blancas vs. Raiko Santana, 8 rounds, super middleweight ▪️Jabin Chollet vs. TBA, 8 rounds, lightweight ▪️Israel Mercado vs. Wesley Rivers, 6 rounds, super lightweight ▪️Alex Holley vs. Allen Medina, 4 rounds, welterweight