David Benavidez Cruises To a Tenth Round Stoppage Win Over Alexis Angulo
Despite losing the WBC World Super Middleweight title on the scales due to missing weight, David Benavidez (23-0, 20 KOs) overcame that disappointment and had more than enough to dispose of Alexis Angulo (26-2, 22 KOs) in ten rounds at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
The 23-year-old Benavidez from Phoenix, Arizona was taller, longer, and more skilled. He used those physical and technical advantages to set the tone early. He established distance to box, and land jabs and power punches to the body and head during the first four rounds. Angulo was reduced to charging forward in hopes of landing a big shot.
EASY WORK
Things followed a similar pattern throughout the middle rounds. Angulo showed himself to be tough as oak and has a heck of a chin. Yet, by the end of the eighth round, he just was not throwing enough to make this a competitive fight and began to take a beating.
In the tenth, Benavidez went on an all-out assault landing a litany of punches with his foe on the ropes. At the end of the round, Angulo had the look of a guy who was on the verge of getting stopped. Sensing their charge was in serious trouble, trainer Pedro Diaz had seen enough and would not allow his fighter to step out of the corner prior to the eleventh round.
Truthfully, this bout was tantamount to a glorified sparring session; the now-former champ did absolutely whatever he wanted.
After the fight, Benavidez took sole responsibility for not making weight but promises he will not let this happen again.
“I’m so disappointed and embarrassed in myself. Everything that everyone said about me was true. I should be professional and come in at weight, but this time I couldn’t do it.
This is my first time not making weight in eight years as a professional. I have to go back to the drawing board. The diet has to be stricter than it already is. I’m a big guy and the diet has to be more strict than it already was.”
After the fight, Showtime’s Brian Custer asked whether this means he will move up to light heavyweight. Benavidez says he wants to regain the WBC belt at 168. There are still big fights to be made at super middleweight and he wants to fight the big names there before venturing up in weight.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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