“Yeah, definitely, because it’s going to be a hell of a fight. He’s a strong fighter, but he gets hit a lot,” said Benavidez to Inside Ring Show. “I seen a lot of holes in his game that I can take advantage of. He’s really slow. There’s a lot of things I can take advantage of. I’m coming from the lower weight classes. I can do a lot more stuff with more head movement, more speed, body, everything. I can do everything. And the thing I like, he gets hurt a lot. So, I’m going to have a good day.
“First I’ve got to take care of my business on December 12th, but then Cinco de Mayo for sure.”
Benavidez calling Opetaia slow is questionable, but his comments about the cruiserweight champion getting hit are harder to dismiss. Opetaia was lumped up and staggered by Noel Mikaelian last night despite facing an opponent who rarely maintained a busy attack.
If Mikaelian found those openings while throwing mostly single punches, imagine the pressure Opetaia would face from Benavidez. “The Mexican Monster” throws long combinations, attacks the body, and rarely allows an opponent to rest once he begins pouring on punches.
Size remains a factor, but Benavidez has already proved he can handle it by defeating unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez. His defense has traditionally relied more on a high guard and offensive volume than the head movement he mentioned, leaving Opetaia opportunities to land between those combinations.
The Mikaelian fight still showed why Benavidez likes the matchup. Opetaia can be drawn into exchanges, and his defense begins leaking when an opponent forces him to work continuously. Benavidez is far busier than Mikaelian and would test those weaknesses every minute.
After spending years chasing Canelo Alvarez and previously showing little enthusiasm for Opetaia, Benavidez is finally talking as though he wants the hardest available test. First, he must handle his December 12 fight. If he does, Cinco de Mayo offers him the chance to prove that Opetaia’s bruised face was evidence of a deeper defensive weakness.
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