Gervonta Davis and David Benavidez both fight at the top of the bill in this weekend’s PBC and Amazon Prime card from the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.
‘Tank’ Davis makes the first defence of his WBA Lightweight World Title against fellow undefeated southpaw Frank Martin. The big puncher from Baltimore is looking for his 30th victory in a fight many are predicting could be his toughest test.
The co-main event sees the return of fan-favourite Benavidez after an impressive 2023 in which he defeated former champion Caleb Plant before handing Demetrius Andrade his first loss.
After unsuccessfully chasing his mandatory fight against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez at 168, Benavidez will make his 175 debut for the WBC’s Interim Light-heavyweight Title. In the opposite corner is Ukraine’s Oleksandr Gvozdyk whose only loss came to unified champion Artur Beterbiev in 2019.
It’s this co-main event that respected trainer turned analyst Teddy Atlas won’t go to the A-side ‘s way.
“Gvozdyk is too fast and too smart, he is elusive and will counter the heck out of him. He’ll pick him apart and then back him up late. People will be shocked.
I like Benavidez. I like what he represents. I like the way he fights, the way he behaves, he’s not afraid to put that on the line against anybody. I love that – but I think he gets beat by Gvozdyk.”
The former world title challenger, who has 29 wins with 16 knockouts, is now 37, a decade older than two-time super-middleweight champ Benavidez.
The winner tonight will be one of the first fighters in line to face the undisputed champion, set to be decided on October 12 when Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol finally face off following a postponement.
