A visibly emaciated David Benavidez said today during Grand Arrivals that he is still three pounds low of Friday’s weigh-in for his fight with Anthony Yard, which will take place on Saturday, November 22 in Riyad.

(Source: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney)

Benavidez emerges looking exhausted

Benavidez’s lanky appearance has some fans wondering how much weight he will have to lose to reach 175 pounds. If he is so skinny at 178, it means he must be a cruiserweight.

If he is tired after making weight, he may be defenseless against the powerful boxer Yard (27-3, 24 KO) on Saturday. This is not the right guy for WBC featherlight heavyweight champion Benavidez to suffer against due to his severe weight cut. From the way he looked today, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he hydrated into the mid 190s or even 200s.

“This is one of my easiest weight cuts. I have about three pounds left. Right now I weigh 178. So three pounds,” said an emaciated David Benavidez DAZN Boxing during today’s Grand Arrivals in Riyad.

Is this Benavidez’s “easiest” weight cut? What do I hear? That says a lot about how much weight he cut while fighting at super middleweight, and how amazing he looked when he stepped into the ring. When you are bigger than your opponents, it gives you a substantial advantage.

Gvozdyk and Morrell Let’s remind us of reality

It’s worth noting that Benavidez has had no more knockouts since moving up to 175 pounds. While he still looks bigger than his opponents in this weight class, he didn’t even come close to hurting the two guys he fought at featherlight heavyweight, Oleksandr Gvozdyk and David Morrell. Indeed, they were the ones who hurt Benavidez.

Benavidez says power continues to grow

“I know it’s not true because in the Gwozdyk fight I hurt him. In the Morrell fight I hurt him,” Benavidez said when asked about his reaction to criticism that his strength did not enhance from 168 to 175.

I watched the Benavidez vs. fight three times. Gvozdyk and Oleksandr was never seen to be harmed. Benavidez was injured in this fight in the 11th round, when Gvozdyk hit him in the granary with a mighty shot. Until Benavidez returned to form, attacking play was suspended for a full minute. If his power didn’t hurt Morrell or Gvozdyk, what would happen when Yarde defeated him? He won’t have the strength in his punches to fend off Yarde. Benavidez will have to rely on his ability to take punishment. He looked beaten later in the match against Morrell.

“What I did for this camp was go back to basics, apply footwork, distance and head movement,” Benavidez said. “We’re going to have to set traps. These are bigger guys. So bringing them down isn’t going to work like I did at 168.”

The moment he gets hit…

Benavidez is so hot-headed that you can’t believe he won’t fight like he always does, going on the attack whenever he gets hit. He is one of those players who fights under the influence of emotions. Benavidez is too elated to cope.

When he is down, an expression appears on his face and he immediately responds with combos. That’s who Benavidez is and that’s why he suffered such a harsh punishment against Morrell and Gvozdyk. Can a fighter who loses his mind after being struck really stick to his “game plan”? This is not realistic. He says he’ll fight from distance and apply his footwork, but as soon as Yarse hits him with a good shot, he’ll be back to his elderly self.

“So I say that my power does not bring, I know for a fact that I can hurt these guys. Now I have to follow the game plan and work on my jab. I see I have an opportunity to hurt Anthony Yarde. I just have to follow the game plan.”

A move in the cruiserweight division is becoming inevitable

If Benavidez hasn’t hurt his last two opponents at 175, it’s demanding to believe he’ll start showing strength now. His emaciated, painfully lean appearance suggests he may be tender and exhausted on Saturday, struggling on an empty field.

If he loses to Yarde, he will have a good reason to tell the fans. It would be wise for Benavidez to move up to cruiserweight at this point, rather than staying at 175 pounds and continuing to put himself through the wringer to make weight.