[ad_1]
David Benavidez was anticipated to make an announcement within the Showtime/PBC Saturday fundamental occasion in Glendale, AZ and boy, did he ship with an emphatic third spherical TKO win over veteran David Lemieux.
Combating in entrance of a raucous crowd on the Gila River Enviornment, Benavidez swarmed Lemieux from the start and Lemieux’s nook had seen enough of him pummeling their fighter and threw the towel in to stop things.
Too huge. Too sturdy. Too good. @Benavidez300 earned the TKO win after Lemieux’s nook stopped the struggle in spherical 3. #BenavidezLemieux pic.twitter.com/IRg9Nqmj48
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) May 22, 2022
Benavidez, who improved to 26-0, 23 KOs, was the larger, more durable punching fighter from the outset. This, as he jumped everywhere in the former IBF middleweight world champ within the first with left hooks and left uppercuts.
Lemieux was staggered and his nostril was already bleeding simply over midway by the primary spherical. And, veteran referee Harvey Dock was trying intently at stopping issues. He allowed the struggle to go on and within the second spherical Benavidez scored once more with a giant left hand after which, a swarm of a number of punches that despatched Lemieux into the underside strand of the ropes and the canvas for a knockdown.
Lemieux, now 43-5, acquired up, but it surely was solely a matter of time earlier than Benavidez would end issues. A barrage of punches, together with the left hook as the largest weapon staggered Lemieux in spherical three with Lemieux’s nook asking for the stoppage 1:31 of the third.
“I simply wish to thank everybody who got here out tonight. If it wasn’t for my folks from Arizona, then I wouldn’t be right here. It’s surreal to me. I’m going to offer my coronary heart within the ring for all of you daily,” Benavidez informed Showtime within the ring put up struggle.
“Mike Tyson gave me the identify ‘The Mexican Monster’, what do you thinl I’m gonna do? I simply really feel like I’m the strongest 168 pounder. Nobody can mess with me.
“Lemiuex is a particular sort of breed. This man was swinging till the tip. I needed to be on my p’s and q’s. He’s a troublesome champion, so my hat’s off to him. He’s the one one with the center to face me.”
The ultimate Compubox numbers confirmed simply how one sided issues had been in beneath eight minutes of motion, as Benavidez landed a 58-24 benefit on energy photographs.
The win offers the 25 yr outdated Benavidez the WBC interim tremendous middleweight title again. Benavidez has held the interim and world title twice earlier than, having misplaced it out facet of the ring twice, as effectively. He beforehand examined constructive for cocaine, whereas coaching to struggle Anthony Dirrell which cancelled their bout. And, Benavidez was then stripped in 2018.
Then, coming off the shutdown of the game on account of Covid 19 in 2020, Benavidez got here in significantly overweight for his title defense against Roamer Angulo in August of that yr. Once more, the WBC took the belt away, though he gained by KO over Angulo.
Undisputed 168 lb. champ Canelo Alvarez collected the vacant belt by beating Avni Yildirim in February of 2021.
Nonetheless, Benavidez is undaunted and gained Saturday evening for the sixth straight bout by KO or stoppage. And, he clearly had made himself the highest fighter for the WBC to face Canelo down the street.
If Alvarez doesn’t, then the group will elevate him to tremendous middleweight world champion standing.
[ad_2]
Source link