Former HBO commentator Jim Lampley believes David Benavidez will be seen as an underdog against WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.
Despite winning by unanimous decision, Benavidez faced significant struggles. He pointed out that Benavidez’s power, which was impressive at 168 pounds, did not translate to the higher weight class, and noted that Benavidez faded in the second half of the fight.
Lampley observed that Benavidez’s performance didn’t align with the judges’ scores and expressed doubts about his chances against elite fighters like Bivol and IBF/WBC/WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev.
According to him, Benavidez’s best hope might be a fight against Canelo Alvarez, though he doubts Canelo would be interested unless the financial incentives are substantial. Canelo might not get much credit for beating Benavidez, especially after his struggle against Gvozdyk, as many fans now see Benavidez as overhyped.
Read full Benavidez vs. Gvozdyk results by clicking here.
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