Benavidez Drained As Yarde Stands Ready To Punish In Riyadh

WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez says he’ll be ready for “war” if that’s what Anthony Yarde chooses to make it on Saturday night in their headliner at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Skeleton at 175

Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) doesn’t have to worry about “if” Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs) will make it a war, because that’s the only way he fights. He knows no other way. With Benavidez’s thin, frail, starved appearance today, it wouldn’t be a good idea for him to stand and trade on Saturday night.

Morrell War Still in His Eyes

Benavidez has never looked this bad in making weight before. It suggests that he put on weight with a victory lap after his win over David Morrell on February 1, 2025. If he’d kept his weight down and stayed in the gym, he wouldn’t be struggling this week, cutting down to 175.

We don’t know how Benavidez’s chin will handle the big shots from Yarde. He was down against Morrell and hurt twice with headshots from the powerful Cuban. Yarde hits at least as hard as Morrell. If he’s got a drained skeleton in front of him, still feeling the aftereffects of 12 hard rounds against the Cuban powerhouse, we could see an upset on Saturday night.

Yarde Smells Opportunity

Can you call that an upset? It’s more about nature’s survival of the fittest. When you get a lion that has had recent wars, they’re susceptible to having their pride taken from them by a fresher one.

“I like to make my fights a war. I like to give the people fights they want to see. This fight is going to live up to the moment,” said a drained-looking WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez at Thursday’s final press conference for his fight against Anthony Yarde this Saturday night.

Benavidez Never Learns

Benavidez boasted this week that he’ll box this Saturday and fight smarter. Now, he’s talking about going to war. Will he ever learn?

“This is the hardest I’ve trained for any of my fights. I’m going to go in there and give you guys a war. I’m ready to dominate. Whatever happens, I’m ready for whatever. If it’s going to turn into a war, then I’m going to turn it into a war,” said Benavidez.

“I get Benavidez. Everyone is saying, ‘He’s a monster. Don’t fight this guy.’ I said, ‘Give me this guy, I’ll fight him,’” said Anthony Yarde. “The better the fighter, the better the reward.”