David Benavidez caused a three-round fight with David Lemieux in Glendale, Arizona last night.
The WBC Interim Super Middleweight title was won in a bout where youth, size and strength proved overwhelming for a veteran fighter who wouldn’t stop until referee Harvey Dock was finished.
From the outset, Benavidez’s height advantage was apparent as Lemieux had to punch a seismic target, hurling everything he had with savagery.
In the opening moments of the first half, Lemieux backed up his fight week statement of wanting a fight by dueling Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs). It was a bold tactic that would eventually prove his undo. Benavidez started working not long after picking up the cane once or twice and pounding hard
The shot can be heard clearly hitting his opponent’s flesh.
Lemieux (43-5, 36 KOs) refuses to be overwhelmed by the mission or partisan mob that has helped bring out the best in Benavidez.
The 25-year-old did well against the Canadian and sent him reeling in the final seconds of his first match. As a result, Lemieux staggered back, Benavidez jumping in for an early night header, with his left hand four times his opponent battered in the corner. Combination and
speed tore Lemieux but the bell saved him.
Benavidez delivered a powerful right-handed stab in the second half, but Lemieux chose fire with fire.
The smell of blood and victory grew louder for the undefeated candidate, who landed another powerful right, then delivered a blow to the upper left that sent Lemieux falling over the rope and almost out of the ring. . “Show me something,” the concerned referee told the former
middleweight champion.
Penalty continues for the remainder of the game. Lemieux is stopping but the spirit and heart he shows are not lacking in courage because he is slowly becoming unstable.
It couldn’t go on any longer and it couldn’t either. Lemieux once again got ahead of Benavidez by putting his jab to work but a straight left and top cut went back he put Lemieux into a corner. Notably, the 33-year-old again gambles with the combination but doing so feels full
The force of a great right hand punched the soul out of him and while he was still on his feet was saved from more brutality.
If Benavidez had worked for points or wrestled with Lemieux the knives would have gone to the two-time former champion but he was uncompromising and a barbarian. Tests were much more competitive at 168lbs, but his demolition ball size and power were an issue for him.
anyone including undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez.
“I feel like I’m the strongest 168-pounder, no one can mess with me,” Benavidez said after a match against Showtime’s Jim Gray.
“He is a special breed,” the winner paid tribute to Lemieux. “This guy swings to the end. He is a great champion. A tough, tough fighter. David Lemieux takes his hat off because he was the only one with the ball in the fight with me.
When asked about his fellow opponents, Benavidez did not punch. I’m waiting [Caleb Plant, Jermall Charlo, David Morrell] to sign a contract. They know what happened. I am here waiting for them. I will be against everyone. I make sure I’m knocking everyone down.”
