Former HBO commentator Jim Lampley sees David Benavidez as the underdog as he faces WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol after his recent bout against Oleksandr Gvozdyk in Las Vegas. Lampley noted that Benavidez’s power was not as effective at 175 pounds as it was at 168, and he struggled in the later rounds of the match.
Although Benavidez secured a unanimous decision victory, Lampley and others question his capability to defeat Bivol or IBF/WBC/WBO champion Artur Beterbiev. Lampley even suggested that Beterbiev would likely have an easy win against Benavidez.
Regarding Benavidez’s future opportunities, Lampley mentioned that his choices are limited, and he might have to wait for a potential fight with Canelo Alvarez. However, given Benavidez’s lackluster performance against Gvozdyk, Canelo might not find much appeal in facing him.
To sum up, Lampley believes that Benavidez faces tough odds against top light heavyweight fighters, and his best option might be to pursue a lucrative bout with Canelo Alvarez.
