David Benavidez cruises by Oleksandr Gvozdyk, still wants Canelo

LAS VEGAS — David Benavidez regarded comparatively at residence in his first look at gentle heavyweight, cruising to a unanimous choice over Oleksandr Gvozdyk on the MGM Grand on Saturday night time.

Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) moved as much as 175 kilos for the primary time after his repeated efforts to entice undisputed tremendous middleweight champ Canelo Alvarez right into a bout fell brief. He beat Gvozdyk (20-2, 16 KOs) comfortably, with the judges favoring Benavidez 119-109, 117-111 and 116-112, and claimed a WBC interim world title within the victory.

“I believe it is a 7 out of 10, to be sincere,” Benavidez mentioned when requested to grade his efficiency. “Oleksandr is a good fighter. It is no marvel he is a former champion, a former Olympian.”

Benavidez, 27, revealed that he suffered a facial lower and torn tendon in his proper hand earlier than the struggle. It did not actually present in his efficiency, as he landed 223 punches in contrast with 163 for Gvozdyk, in keeping with CompuBox. One criticism of the efficiency might need been an absence of energy. He by no means had Gvozdyk in true hassle, regardless of teeing off on him a number of instances all through the 12 rounds.

Whether or not Benavidez’s energy totally interprets to 175 kilos will probably be a subject of dialogue if he ever strikes on to probably marquee fights towards titleholders Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol. For now, Benavidez mentioned he’ll have a look at each gentle heavyweight and his pure weight class of tremendous middleweight. He mentioned his struggle night time weight Saturday was 189 kilos.

“We’re nonetheless trying to go all the way down to 168 to struggle for the title,” he mentioned. “If we will get Canelo or if they will vacate it, I wish to win it another time.”

A few of Benavidez’s greatest work got here within the first half of the struggle. He had numerous success with a looping left hook, which regarded prefer it might flip right into a fight-ending shot within the early rounds earlier than Gvozdyk made some changes. Benavidez always pressured Gvozdyk backward and highlighted a few of his work with pictures to the physique.

Gvozdyk, a 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, weathered the storm properly, particularly for a 37-year-old who retired from boxing in 2019 earlier than returning to the game final 12 months. Gvozdyk even mounted a little bit of a comeback within the later rounds and opened a small lower over Benavidez’s left eye.

Regardless of some late success, Gvozdyk routinely discovered himself on the again foot towards his advancing opponent. Benavidez continued to search for the end within the later rounds, however Gvozdyk ate his greatest pictures.

Saturday’s bout was Benavidez’s first of 2024. He could possibly be a candidate for the winner of an Oct. 12 undisputed gentle heavyweight championship bout between Beterbiev and Bivol.