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Welcome to this week’s edition of The Fight With Teddy Atlas Newsletter, your one stop shop for all things combat sports related, brought to you by Teddy and The Fight team.
Every Friday We Bring You:
A combat sports news digest with all the headlines you need to know from Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts.
Highlights from the podcast and across the fight world.
Fight times and information you need to know ahead of time.
How to’s and tips for Boxing from Teddy himself.
Fight News From Around The 🌍
Welcome To The Big Time
David Benavidez defends his interim WBC super middleweight belt for the second time when he takes on two division champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, with the winner looking ahead to either facing undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez or getting an upgrade to full champion.
Either way, the stakes are undeniably high in what is arguably the toughest test for either fighter in their careers thus far.
Benavidez was taken the distance for the first time in five years by Caleb Plant back in March, where he looked close to stopping the former IBF champ numerous times. Before that, no opponent of his had heard the final bell since he first picked up the WBC back in 2018.
Before the Plant victory, there were questions over his level of opposition and if that had anything to do with his impressive KO record.
The Phoenix native answered those questions emphatically, and now he looks ahead to reclaiming the belt that he’s held on two separate occasions (both instances saw him lose the belt outside the ring).
Demetrius Andrade will seek to answer questions of his own on Saturday, with the main one being: Just how good is he?
He’s yet to lose in the professional ranks, has picked up multiple belts across two competitive weight classes in light-middleweight and middleweight and has undeniable amateur pedigree.
Despite all that, he doesn’t have a marquee name on his record. A blockbuster opponent. An A-lister. Canelo, GGG and both the Charlo’s have been targeted, but no fights materialised (despite Andrade being a world champion).
Tomorrow night, after years of calling out the big names, Andrade gets his wish. He gets that big opponent that has eluded him for years.
Will he take advantage of the opportunity?
We’ll have to wait and see.
What to look for in the fight:
Watch the feet. Benavidez can be very flat footed, and this worked against him in the first half against Plant. Andrade has a bit more natural pop than Caleb so look out for him to counter off of Benavidez' approaches early.
Tactics. Andrade tends to start quickly and then take rounds off later in the fight. This could work against Benavidez, but he’s never faced someone this big who can come on strong down the stretch. Keep an eye out for his conditioning after rounds 8-9.
Don’t take our word for it, check out the in depth Fight Plan that Teddy and Ken did at Trinity Boxing Club in NYC.
Fight Odds
The undercard has got some great match ups:
Subriel Matias vs Shohjahon Ergashev (IBF Super Lightweight title)
Jermall Charlo vs Jose Benavidez Jr
Hector Luis Garcia vs Lamont Roach (WBA Super Featherweight title)
Sergei Lipinets vs Michel Rivera
Greatness Returns
Katie Taylor’s legacy as one of the greats has been cemented. Chantelle Cameron handing her a first loss back in May in a back and forth fight doesn’t change that.
Nobody would have faulted her if she decided against a rematch and moved back down to her natural weight class of lightweight. But her competitiveness and warrior spirit won through, and now we get the potential for another fantastic fight between two talented boxers.
Cameron shocked the world by becoming the first woman to defeat Taylor, but to her team and those around her, it was years in the making.
She’s one of the most shrewd operators in professional women’s boxing, and she’ll be confident that her youth and size advantage will be able to repeat the trick against Taylor.
However, this is Katie Taylor we’re talking about.
She’ll bank on the backing of the Dublin crowd, as well as her generational talent, to be able to avenge the loss and most likely win a decision in another tough fight.
Fight ⏰ for this weekend
Boxing: Benavidez vs Andrade (Saturday 25th/Sunday 26th)
🇺🇸 Full Card: 9pm Eastern/ 6pm Pacific | Main Event: 11pm Eastern/ 8pm Pacific
🇬🇧 Full Card: 2am | Main Event: 4am
🇦🇺 Full Card: 11am Eastern/ 9am Western | Main event: 1pm Eastern/ 11am Western
Boxing: Cameron vs Taylor (Saturday 25th/Sunday 26th)
🇺🇸 Full Card: 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific | Main Event: 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific
🇬🇧 Full Card: 6pm | Main Event: 10pm
🇦🇺 Full Card: 4am Eastern/ 2am Western | Main event: 8am Eastern/ 6am Western