Hall of Fame broadcaster Al Bernstein sees the upcoming David Benavidez 27-0 (23) vs Demetrius Andrade 32-0 (19) fight as a fascinating matchup of contrasting styles.
The battle of unbeaten super middleweights will take place at Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 25.
The winner of the fight will put themselves in the mix to face Mexican superstar and undisputed 168-pound champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 60-2-2 (39).
“David Benavidez has been a champion in this division and wants to get there again. Demetrius Andrade has campaigned as a super middleweight in an effort to get big fights like this one and pave his way to a title,” Bernstein said. “168 is a division with one champion but a number of terrific fighters. I look forward to covering more important 168 pound battles in 2024.”
Bernstein cast his expert eye over the matchup.
“Demetrius Andrade is as clever a fighter as there is in the sport. He wants to use guile to walk Benavidez into traps so he can land his excellent step back left hand,” Bernstein said.
“Though he’s not known as a finisher, Andrade does have pop in his punches and has created knockdowns in many of his fights. Even one of those would put a 10-8 round on his side off the ledger.
“His mission is to stay off the ropes and not allow Benavidez to trap him there. Winning rounds is something Andrade is good at and he feels he can win enough of them to walk away with a big win. This will start with putting rounds in the bank early because Benavidez has had slow starts, such as in his match with Caleb Plant.
“David Benavidez is a volume punching machine when he gets rolling. But, even if his volume is diminished a bit, as it was against Plant for much of the fight, he can compensate with power shots that change the tenor of the fight. He did that in the Plant fight.
“A key to his success will be positioning himself so he can deliver his powerful left hook to the body—one of his best weapons. Against the 35-year-old Andrade body work can pay dividends. The Andrade he’s facing is not quite as mobile as the younger version, so cutting off the ring might be a bit easier. Once he does that he’ll need to push Andrade to the ropes where he is so adept at unleashing dazzling combinations.”
Bernstein has announced over 150 major pay-per-view shows, including five already in 2023.
“The excitement of these major cards is never lost on me and never will be moving forward,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons I enjoy my craft as much as I did for the first fight I ever announced.”
