LOS ANGELES -- On Sept. 28 veteran Anthony Dirrell will make the first defense of his WBC super middleweight title. Dirrell picked up that vacant title in February of this year against Avni Yildirim. Now he will have to defend it against the young former champion David Benavidez. The two will meet in the co-feature of the Fox pay-per-view card headlined by a unification fight between Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter.
Dirrell (33-1-1, 24 KOs) is one of those fighters who seems to do everything very well but nothing at the elite level. The 34-year-old has an excellent jab that he can control the distance with and even in his mid 30s he still has quick reflexes and can make opponents miss with his head movement. Dirrell also has a sharp right hand that he will follow his jab with and does a nice job of banging the body and throwing his punches from various angles. Yet he's also slowed down a bit and is easier to hit than he was a few years ago and that could spell trouble against a big puncher like Benavidez.
While Dirrell has had a fine career he doesn't really have any marquee wins. There aren't any names on his resume that make your eyes pop. His prime took place in a time where the super middleweight division had plenty of good names but no truly elite stars. In his first world title fight he fought to a draw against Sakio Bika but was able to beat him in their rematch in 2014 to win his first world title. He was never able to defend that title though, losing his first defense to Badou Jack. Since that loss Dirrell hasn't ton all that much. He beat an old and beat down Marco Antonio Rubio and a fine but far from elite fighter in Caleb Truax among a few others. Then earlier this year and four years after winning his first title Dirrell beat Yildirim to win the vacant WBC title he'll defend against Benavidez.
Benavidez (21-0, 18 KOs) looks like a slow, plodding fighter. While his feet certainly aren't quick, his hands are. Or at least they're quicker than his feet. The 22-year-old has a solid jab and a mean left hook. That left hook is especially dangerous when Benavidez is banging it to the body. Along with that jab and left hook Benavidez also has a very heavy right hand that does serious damage upstairs. The former champ likes to be the aggressor and walk his opponents down and when he has them hurt or vulnerable up against the ropes he does a tremendous job of unleashing combinations. While he's certainly there to be hit he has shown himself to be a tough, durable fighter so far in his career and he should be able to absorb any punches Dirrell might land.
When Benavidez beat Ronald Gavril in 2017 he became the youngest super middleweight champion in the history of the sport. He won that fight, which was for a vacant title, via split decision. In their rematch Benavidez was able to beat Gavril more decisively by the way of unanimous decision. Then the young champion's career hit a major snag when he tested positive for cocaine and was stripped of his title and suspended. Benavidez has fought just once since that suspension, knocking out J'Leon Love in the second round. Now Benavidez will look to recapture the WBC title that was stripped from him after his failed drug test.
This fight could come down to how well Dirrell moves. If he can stay busy with his jab and make Benavidez follow him around the ring he could stick and move enough to box his way to a decision victory. Dirrell needs to pump the jab, stay moving, but also pick his spots to sit down on his punches an attack the body of Benavidez. As for Benavidez, he will look to walk Dirrell down and break down the body of the older man. If Benavidez can cut the ring off and keep Dirrell on the ropes where he can really unload on him he should find plenty of success.
PREDICTION: If Anthony Dirrell can stay moving for all 12 rounds he has the ability to box his way to victory. However, the body attack and thudding power of David Benavidez should slow Dirrell down and once that happens he will find himself in trouble. Benavidez will look strong late and he will stop Dirrell in the 10th round.
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| Dirrell, celebrating with his WBC strap |
While Dirrell has had a fine career he doesn't really have any marquee wins. There aren't any names on his resume that make your eyes pop. His prime took place in a time where the super middleweight division had plenty of good names but no truly elite stars. In his first world title fight he fought to a draw against Sakio Bika but was able to beat him in their rematch in 2014 to win his first world title. He was never able to defend that title though, losing his first defense to Badou Jack. Since that loss Dirrell hasn't ton all that much. He beat an old and beat down Marco Antonio Rubio and a fine but far from elite fighter in Caleb Truax among a few others. Then earlier this year and four years after winning his first title Dirrell beat Yildirim to win the vacant WBC title he'll defend against Benavidez.
Benavidez (21-0, 18 KOs) looks like a slow, plodding fighter. While his feet certainly aren't quick, his hands are. Or at least they're quicker than his feet. The 22-year-old has a solid jab and a mean left hook. That left hook is especially dangerous when Benavidez is banging it to the body. Along with that jab and left hook Benavidez also has a very heavy right hand that does serious damage upstairs. The former champ likes to be the aggressor and walk his opponents down and when he has them hurt or vulnerable up against the ropes he does a tremendous job of unleashing combinations. While he's certainly there to be hit he has shown himself to be a tough, durable fighter so far in his career and he should be able to absorb any punches Dirrell might land.
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| Benavidez, making the sweat fly on Ronald Gavril |
This fight could come down to how well Dirrell moves. If he can stay busy with his jab and make Benavidez follow him around the ring he could stick and move enough to box his way to a decision victory. Dirrell needs to pump the jab, stay moving, but also pick his spots to sit down on his punches an attack the body of Benavidez. As for Benavidez, he will look to walk Dirrell down and break down the body of the older man. If Benavidez can cut the ring off and keep Dirrell on the ropes where he can really unload on him he should find plenty of success.
PREDICTION: If Anthony Dirrell can stay moving for all 12 rounds he has the ability to box his way to victory. However, the body attack and thudding power of David Benavidez should slow Dirrell down and once that happens he will find himself in trouble. Benavidez will look strong late and he will stop Dirrell in the 10th round.
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