David Benavidez battles with Oleksandr Gvozdyk during their light heavyweight showdown at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
The light heavyweight version of David Benavidez looked like the super middleweight form: Proficient, punishing, accurate, and dominant.
Benavidez, on the Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin undercard before 13,249 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, on Saturday night, gradually ripped apart former WBC light heavyweight titlist Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
Though he appeared to wear down in the latter rounds, Benavidez (29-0, 24 knockouts) won comfortably by unanimous scores of 116-112, 117-111, and 119-109 in his light heavyweight debut.
David Benavidez punished Oleksandr Gvozdyk to the body (Photo by Esther Lin-Premier Boxing Champions).
“I went up in weight, won every single round and dominated a former world champion and an Olympian as well,” said Benavidez, The Ring’s No. 1-rated super middleweight. “I had him hurt a couple of times. I wasn’t throwing a lot of combinations because I reinjured my hand in the third round.
“I tore my right ligament four weeks before the fight and I hurt my left hand in camp. I’m proud of myself because I also got a cut three weeks ago and I pushed through and gave the fans a good fight.
“I’m looking forward to what’s next in the division.”
Though they both weighed 174.2 pounds, there was a noticeable size difference when they got into the ring: The 37-year-old Gvozdyk (20-2, 16 KOs) was the larger fighter. The Ukrainian came out fast, although that tactic did not last long. Benavidez chopped at the body and played the stalker.
Gvozdyk, the 2012 London Olympic bronze medalist, tried using the jab and moved well, though it was Benavidez who won the opening round, landing the body shots.
Benavidez opened the second by stuffing a jab into Gvozdyk’s face. He quickly followed with a winging left hook. Benavidez went back to clubbing Gvozdyk in the sides. With 1:08 left in the round, Benavidez clipped Gvozdyk with a punishing one-two. In the last 30 seconds of the round, Benavidez dug a right a left into Gvozdyk’s sides.
In the third, Benavidez unloaded on Gvozdyk with a straight right to the face, followed by a left hook, followed by a right to the body. In the last 20 seconds of the fourth, Benavidez used Gvozdyk for target practice. He got pounded with a left hook, and a double right uppercut. Referee Thomas Taylor checked in with Gvozdyk after the round.
Gvozdyk’s energy output was considerably slower by the fifth. Benavidez was snapping his head back with straight rights, and with :58 left, he banged Gvozdyk with a crunching left hook to the jaw that Gvozdyk took well.
With 26 seconds left in the sixth, Benavidez was tagging Gvozdyk at will, tapping with a lead left hook. Midway through the fight, it was easy to see Benavidez pitching a shutout.
Through eight, Gvozdyk appeared to be in survival mode, more content to last than to win.
Finally, Gvozdyk seemed to wake up in the ninth, applying pressure and being efficient for the first time in the fight. Gvozdyk followed with a solid 10th, as Benavidez appeared to be downshifting. Benavidez did tag Gvozdyk with a counter left hook, with a right to the body, then back up with a left hook to the head.
Gvozdyk came out strong again in the 12th. About a minute later, Benavidez was plowing Gvozdyk’s body once more. With 1:16 left in the fight, Gvozdyk did land a right uppercut, which Benavidez had no problem taking. The two ended int a flurry on the ropes, and then hugged it up as the final bell sounded.
“I obviously wish we got a different decision tonight,” said Gvozdyk, The Ring’s No. 7-rated light heavyweight. “I wish I had done a little more and been more active in the early rounds of the fight.
“I think the scores were pretty accurate. It was a good fight, a close fight. He was better in the first half of the fight, but I think I started doing better in the second half. I’d love a rematch with him.”
Alberto Puello shocks Gary Antuanne Russell
Alberto Puello lands a head-turning left to Gary Antuanne Russell during their 140-pound bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
A former WBA junior welterweight titlist, Alberto Puello (23-0, 10 KOs) pulled off a major surprise by beating handing Gary Antuanne Russell his first defeat by split-decision.
Judges Glenn Feldman (115-112) and Tim Cheatham (114-113) scored for Puello, but judge David Hudson somehow saw a far different fight than anyone in the arena, scoring it 118-109 for Russell (17-1, 17 KOs).
Puello won something called the WBC “interim junior welterweight title.”
“I got down on my knees and the first thing I did was thank God, and then I said, ‘I made it.’ The weight barrier, the time away from my family, it was all worth it,” Puello said. “It feels great to be a champion, because this will mark the beginning of a new chapter in my life.
“It was the best I have ever fought in my life. The hard work being far away from my family finally paid off. Bring anybody on, I don’t care. I’m ready to face all comers.”
Russell was not about to give Puello much credit.
“It wasn’t about what Puello did tonight, it was about what I didn’t do,” said Russell, The Ring’s No. 8-rated junior welterweight. “I should have listened more and executed more. Like I always say, if I execute our game plan, it’s a matter of fact that I’ll get the victory. But tonight I fell short.
“I’m always going to show good sportsmanship. Congrats to Puello, and now back to the drawing board.”
Carlos Adames slams a right into Terrell Gausha (Photo by Esther Lin-Premier Boxing Champions)
Carlos Adames defends the WBC middleweight title for the first time
In a fight that was not the most aesthetically pleasing, Carlos Adames (24-1, 18 KOs) made his first defense of the WBC middleweight title with a mundane, rather easy unanimous decision over Terrell Gausha (24-4-1, 12 KOs).
Adames was awarded 118-110 decisions on two scorecards, and 119-109 on the other. The only round where either fighter showed any real fire came in the seventh from Adames, after his trainer, the esteemed Ismael Salas, gave him between rounds.
“This win is very satisfying,” said Adames, The Ring’s No. 1-rated middleweight. “To have defended my title the way I did, with the convincing decision, was what I wanted after a year away.
“The knockout was in the making until I landed that accidental low blow. That was unfortunate. (Gausha) was able to compose himself and catch his breath after that. He was an uncomfortable, unique opponent to face.”
Gausha did not do much. He came on a little late, but hardly did anything for the first eight rounds.
“Carlos Adames is a tough hell of a fighter and he has a strong punch, so I knew we had to be careful in the first few rounds,” he said. “The game plan was to pick it up towards the end of the fight, which I thought I did, but obviously it wasn’t enough tonight.
“The scorecards were wide. I don’t agree with them. I thought it was closer, but at the end of the day he won the fight. So, it is what it is.
“I’m blessed to be able to do what I love to do at the age of 36. I have no injuries and great defense. I just have to go back to the drawing board and then we’ll see where we go from here.”
Middleweight Kyrone Davis (19-3-1, 6 KOs) won the biggest fight of his career, upsetting the previously undefeated Elijah Garcia (16-1, 13 KOs) by 10-round split-decision.
Fighting for the second time as a junior lightweight, former WBC featherweight titlist Mark Magsayo (26-2, 17 KOs) won a 10-round decision over Eduardo Ramirez (28-4-3, 13 KOs).
Junior lightweight southpaw prospect Justin Viloria (6-0, 4 KOs) remained undefeated by stopping Angel Contreras (15-9-2, 9 KOs) at 2:02 of the fifth round in a scheduled six-rounder.
Junior featherweight Brayan Gonzalez won his pro debut with a four-round decision over James Mulder (0-2). Super middleweight Daniel Blancas (10-0, 4 KOs) won an eight-round decision over Aro Schwartz (23-8-1, 15 KOs). Featherweight Reina Tellez (8-0-1, 5 KOs) won a four-round decision over Beta Dudek (4-2, 4 KOs). Junior lightweight Margaret Whitmore (3-0, 2 KOs) won a four-round majority decision over Mia Ellis (7-3, 6 KOs).
Joseph Santoliquito is a Hall of Fame, award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Follow @JSantoliquito