LAS VEGAS – David Benavidez delivered yet another message to Canelo Alvarez on Saturday night.
“The Mexican Monster” overpowered Demetrius Andrade and battered the former two-division champion until his handlers decided he shouldn’t take any more punishment following the sixth round Saturday night at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s Michelob ULTRA Arena. Referee Thomas Taylor stopped their 12-round, 168-pound fight following a one-sided sixth round and declared Benavidez the winner of their Showtime Pay-Per-View main event by technical knockout.
The 26-year-old Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs), who has lost the WBC super middleweight title twice without losing a fight, retained the WBC’s interim 168-pound championship. He also established himself as the WBC’s mandatory challenger for one of Alvarez’s 168-pound championships.
Mexico’s Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) is expected to return to the ring May 4, but boxing’s undisputed super middleweight champion hasn’t chosen an opponent. Alvarez-Benavidez is the most marketable bout that can be made within the 168-pound division, but it isn’t clear if Alvarez will seriously consider Benavidez as the foe for his next fight.
The 35-year-old Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) is a former WBO 160-pound and WBA/WBO 154-pound champion, but Benavidez was the best opponent the 2008 Olympian fought since he made his pro debut 15 years ago. Benavidez is also a natural super middleweight, whereas Providence’s Andrade competed in that division for just the second time Saturday night.
Andrade tried his best to fend off a relentless Benavidez during a one-sided sixth round, when Benavidez landed various body and head shots that left an overwhelmed Andrade barely able to stand up as he walked to his corner when it ended. Soon thereafter, Andrade’s handlers stopped the bout.
Benavidez nailed Andrade with an overhand right about 1:05 into the sixth round.
Andrade lost his mouthpiece about 15 seconds into the sixth round, which caused a brief break in the action. Taylor asked a ringside doctor to examine Andrade before he allowed Andrade to start the sixth round.
After flooring Andrade just before the fourth round ended, Benavidez staggered him again with another right hand about 30 seconds into the fifth round.
Benavidez pressed the action later in the fifth and Andrade tried to fight out of that trouble. Benavidez’s power was too much for him, however, and he battered the courageous challenger with a vicious array of punches in the final minute of the fifth round.
Andrade returned to his corner with significant swelling around his right eye.
Benavidez nailed Andrade with a right hand to the middle of his face that sent the challenger to his gloves and knees with three seconds to go in the fourth round. Andrade reached his feet quickly, though, and the round ended before Benavidez had a chance to try to finish him.
The crowd booed loudly when Andrade asked for a break with 2:33 to go in the fourth round because Benavidez hit him low.
Benavidez blasted Andrade with a right that landed flush with about 50 seconds to go in the third round. Benavidez followed up with a stiff jab that moved Andrade backward.
Taylor warned Andrade for hitting Benavidez low a little less than 20 seconds into the third round.
Andrade fired off an 11-punch combination, but Benavidez blocked most of those punches with just over a minute to go in the second round. Taylor warned Andrade after he pushed Benavidez once they became entangled about 30 seconds into the second round.
Andrade connected with left-left-left combination to Benavidez’s head, body and head just before the bell sounded to end the first round.
A right hand by Benavidez backed Andrade into the ropes with just under 1:20 to go in the opening round. About 15 seconds later, Andrade landed the first of back-to-back lefts to Benavidez’s body.
