Benavidez stops Andrade after six rounds, calls for fight with super middleweight champ Canelo

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David Benavidez successfully defended his interim world super middleweight title with a resounding victory over Demetrius Andrade, culminating in a sixth-round stoppage this past Saturday night. In a bout highly anticipated for its potential to go the distance between two undefeated 168-pound fighters, Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) displayed a masterful performance, prompting Andrade (32-1) to request a halt to the contest, marking his first career loss.

Renowned as one of the premier super middleweights globally, David Benavidez wasted no time in making his intentions known. Right after his triumph, he vociferously called for a showdown against none other than Canelo Alvarez, widely regarded as the top dog in the division. This appeal resonated with the enthusiastic gathering of 9,585 fans in attendance, who roared their approval.

During the post-fight interview on Showtime, Benavidez, at 26 years old, asserted, “I think I solidified myself as the dominant performer I am. Now just give me the fight that everyone wants to see. Let’s give the people what they want to see and they want to see David Benavidez against Canelo!”

After an initial three closely contested rounds, Benavidez, nicknamed “The Mexican Monster,” lived up to his moniker by effectively nullifying Andrade’s technical prowess with an onslaught of relentless and powerful punches in the final three rounds. The turning point came in the fourth round when Benavidez began connecting with solid shots, capitalizing on openings for follow-up combinations, and ultimately scoring a knockdown just before the bell.

The fifth round showcased Benavidez’s boxing finesse as he advanced aggressively, continuing to assert his size and power, gradually wearing down the former two-division world champion. Benavidez’s indomitable fighting spirit was evident as he responded to every punch he absorbed with even more ferocity, stating, “It’s the fighting spirit…it’s my passion. If you hit me with one or two punches, I’ll come back with five or six.”

David Benavidez entered the fight as a significant favorite, closing at minus-430 odds on FanDuel, which would have required bettors to stake $430 to win $100. His commanding performance was a clear message to Canelo Alvarez, and Benavidez articulated, “I just want to say welcome to the David Benavidez era.”

In the co-main event, WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo and Jose Benavidez Jr. engaged in an action-packed 10-round non-title bout. Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) absorbed several shots from Benavidez Jr. (28-3-1) but delivered more significant damage, preserving his flawless record. Charlo’s rapid-fire left-uppercut, right-hook combination proved pivotal, halting Benavidez Jr. on multiple occasions and allowing the champion to maintain his unblemished record.

Subriel Matias (20-1, 20 KOs) retained his IBF junior welterweight title via TKO. After asserting dominance in the initial two rounds, Shohjahon Ergashev endured a relentless assault from Matias over the following three rounds, ultimately prompting Ergashev’s team to request the fight’s termination two seconds into the sixth round.

In a split decision, Lamont Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) secured Hector Garcia’s WBA super featherweight belt. Although Roach scored a knockdown in the 12th round with an inadvertent shot to the back of Garcia’s head, he solidified his victory with a powerful right hook in the 11th round, staggering Garcia and delivering a barrage of combinations until the final bell. Judges Tim Cheatham (114-113) and Robert Hoyle (111-116) scored the fight in favor of Roach, while Max DeLuca (114-113) had Garcia winning the bout.

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