You really think this is a duck?
I'm surprised people can't see the plan. Bivol is just coming back from surgery and being out all year. He's not fighting David next. I think the Saudis want to wrap up the trilogy with Beterbiev.
Canelo Alvarez just lost and will likely lose to Terence again. His star is falling. David wants to take over the Mexican holidays. I can 100npercent guarantee he will fight Zurdo in May and win just fine, and then go back down in Sept for Msxican independence day and fight Bivol. So far David has ducked no one and has said several times he will fight Bivol and beat him. Beterbiev doesn't really have much left for David to be that wary. This is a very strategic move by David and the Saudis
Yeah maybe your'e right, I hadn't factored in the Bivol layoff, and Beterbiev is not a fighter you face without a belt or reward (plus his immediate future seems clouded by mysterious PED suspensions currently, scummy, sneaky b*stard), Zurdo has a belt, that's a big deal.
My thing is that Benavidez team know his strengths and weaknesses better than any.
His strengths are -
- Punch output, resilience, pressure, boxing smarts, years of ring nous and an innate sense and understanding of square and circle geometry.
His weaknesses are -
- Can get hit by counters from fighters that can take his shots or have a good block
- Is a walk forward fighter
- Have we seen him face world class volume punchers that can either hit you with combinations, punches from angles, or suffocate you with pressure?
Bivol, Beterbiev, both these boxers can match him for punch output, maybe his greatest attribute aside from boxing smarts and guard, but they also can take shots and deliver either counters, or relentless pressure.
Zurdo on the other hand has fairly low punch output, and especially so at 200, he loses to Benavidez off sheer punches landed round to round. If he could have stayed at 185 he should have, was an amazing size for the weight class when he was there, really the prototype bully at 185, which is why the Bivol win was grossly under appreciated.
I don't see Benavidez coming back to 185 after 200 though, thats a massive jump back down.