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Demetrius Andrade, the 35-year-old from Rhode Island with an unblemished 32 (19ko) – 0 record and an unrequited longing for fulfilment, has finally secured the marquee match missing from his 15-year career.
He will box the giant American Super-Middleweight David Benevidez, 27 (23ko) – 0, at the Michelob Arena, Las Vegas on Saturday night. A fight broadcast by Showtime. This will be the organisation’s final night in the boxing business and all the leading betting companies carry markets for this elite match up between two unbeaten fighters.
Careers at crossroads
In the prize fighting business, negotiating a path toward Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is the order of the day for every fighter between Middleweight and Cruiser. Belts, legacy and all the other artifice of success pales into insignificance in the glare of the purses available battling the sport’s number one attraction.
This bout, a crescendo in itself for Andrade, also serves as a qualifier for those riches. Whoever prevails on Saturday night will be acknowledged as the leading contender in the Super Middleweight division and be provided with the leverage to secure that opportunity in 2024.
The stakes are high.
Andrade’s long and winding road
Despite holding belts at both 154 and 160 pounds, Demetrius Andrade’s career thus far has often been characterised by the names not on his resume more than the ones that are. A combination of bad luck, a messy fall out from a failed event with Billy Joe Saunders a conspicuous example, and the jeopardy associated with his Southpaw awkwardness and the modest rewards associated with him, have left Andrade’s potential unvalidated.
More recently, inactivity has stifled momentum too. His one sided contest with the raw Demond Nicholson was not only Andrade’s debut at the weight it was his first fight in two years. Inertia he could ill afford heading into his mid-thirties.
The ten rounds he boxed with Nicholson illustrated Andrade’s ability to land good combinations, his skill and elusiveness too but suggested that he will struggle to deter the bigger, stronger and more capable Benevidez. Nicholson was battered throughout their fight, Andrade was aggressive and busy in most rounds. But he couldn’t stop his over-matched opponent.
He will need to work much harder to secure the gaps required to land a similar number of shots on Benevidez. Who looms forward from his tall, upright stance.
At 35, can Andrade maintain the output in a long fight against a naturally bigger, younger man?
Bookmakers favour Benevidez markedly. William Hill offer 2/7 on the 26-year-old to win the bout with the veteran Andrade drifting to 10/3 with BetFred. On reputation and skill, Andrade offers value but constructing a path to victory is hard to do.
How can Andrade tame Benevidez?
To win, Andrade will have to utilise his hand speed, have good head movement to keep him safe from Benevidez’s heavier arsenal and land punches in fast combinations. He will need to stay out of corners and off the ropes where he could be bullied and his energy zapped by Benevidez’ strength. These are the tactics deployed by the very capable Caleb Plant against him and Plant had lots of success in the first half of their fight.
Andrade’s southpaw stance will help. He will need to be wary of stepping in to Benevidez’ left hook as he exits from landing combinations. But he can take advantage of Benevidez ‘stiffer’ style.
The idea Andrade can start fast, get out in front and stay there over the distance is difficult to have faith in. Bet365 offer 5/1 for him to pull off the upset over 12 rounds. Coupled with an over/under, set at 10.5 rounds, it would be a rewarding pick.
But at 35, as the ‘opponent’ in the fight, it is hard to see him getting the judges’ favour in tight rounds.
Path to a Benevidez victory
Speaking to the BigFightWeekend.com podcast Benevidez expects a tough fight and to have to chase down Andrade; “I gotta go in there and cut the distance, attack the body, throw a lot of combinations, cut the distance with the jab. I’m the bigger, stronger and more natural ‘68 pounder.”
There are undoubtedly opportunities for Andrade to have early success. Benevidez retreats in straight lines and often sacrifices his height to engage at close quarters. Andrade’s hand speed will suit those moments but Benevidez has a good jab when he uses it and an effective counter left hook.
His strength will begin to tell through the middle rounds when Andrade could be expected to slow down. Strapping on his knee in the Nicholson fight encourages the idea age is against him too.
Benevidez should be just too fresh, too big and too strong over a longer fight. At 6/4 for the stoppage returns are modest. 6/1 on Benevidez finishing the veteran off between 9-12 offers respect to Andrade and faith in Benevidez’s advantages.
BOXINGWRITER.CO.UK 
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