By Adam Noble-Forcey
FORMER WBC light-heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk plans to be again in the ring by September following a complete defeat to David Benavidez final month at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Gvozdyk (20-2, 16 KOs) noticed Benavidez’s hand get raised with scores of 119-109, 117-111 and 116-112 in the chief help for Gervonta Davis’s light-weight title defence towards Frank Martin.
“Well man, I could obviously feel better if I won the fight, but s*** happens,” Gvozdyk instructed Boxing News. “Physically? I’m completely high-quality! I’m able to combat once more in August or September. Obviously, I used to be anticipating one thing totally different from the final result of the combat. I used to be making an attempt, however it was both that the opponent was too robust or I didn’t do sufficient, it was a combination of each.
“Whatever, what can I say? I should probably try better. The main reason I lost was because my opponent was better that night. I did give him some good resistance, although some people were expecting more from me. Some people were expecting him to kill me in two rounds. Neither of those people were right. I thought I gave him a good fight. I’ll keep working and keep pursuing my goal.”
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 15: David Benavidez (L) punches Oleksandr Gvozdyk throughout a combat for an interim WBC mild heavyweight title at MGM Grand Garden Arena on June 15, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Benavidez gained the title by unanimous choice. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
Benavidez made his light-heavyweight debut after an unsuccessful chase of fellow Mexican Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, respiration recent life into a weight class held up by the undisputed title conflict between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
“I can’t tell you that I was super surprised [by Benavidez],” Gvozdyk continued. “He did precisely what I anticipated him to do. He’s positively not a small man for light-heavyweight. He has a nice future, however like everybody, he’s not invincible. He’s a man who provides a good combat to the high light-heavyweights, however I wouldn’t say he’s the favorite in these fights. He’s good for this division, however he’s not a killer who everybody is meant to shake from being frightened of.
“Against myself, who I don’t consider to be the best light-heavyweight, I did pretty good. In the second half of the fight, I thought I was winning. I was pulling it back, obviously, it wasn’t enough and I lost, no question about it. I looked better in the second half, which tells you he might be a monster, but not as scary as people think. I’m ready to do it again, totally. I’m back in the gym and I’m thinking about my return. I don’t want to get out of shape too much.”
Benavidez will as soon as once more chase super-middleweight king Canelo for his common September occasion. At light-heavyweight, Beterbiev and Bivol have been rescheduled for October 12 after the former’s damage postponed their authentic date.
“I’m open to any fight,” Gvozdyk defined. “The rematch with Benavidez is highly desirable. Any of the top guys for a title, maybe one of the British guys, you have a lot of guys at my weight. [Joshua] Buatsi, you can tell British fans that I want this fight! I’m ready, Lyndon Arthur would work, too. Any of those British guys. Bivol-Beterbiev? I don’t even know if they will fight in October, I think they are going to postpone it again. Whatever, we are going to wait another year to see them fight.”
London, UK: Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol Press Conference to announce their Undisputed World Light Heavyweight Title combat in Saudi Arabia on 1st June.
15 April 2024. Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing. The fighters face off with their belts.
Despite a second profession defeat, the 37-year-old Ukrainian nonetheless has a a part of play in the division.
“I mentioned September because Canelo will have his fight,” Gvozdyk added. “I hope to combat a respectable opponent on that present, but when not we’ll combat somebody. I must get my place again, which I didn’t lose an excessive amount of. I nonetheless have saved my place as No: 2 in the WBC, quickly I’ll be high 5 in all of the organisations which supplies me extra choices to combat a respectable man. The plan remains to be the identical.
“Benavidez’s best option is probably a rematch with me. Tell me, who else is he going to fight? Nobody is going to fight him at 168 [pounds], Canelo is probably not going to do this. None of the British guys are going to fight him at 175 either because they are scared. I think Buatsi is scared, he’s probably not too happy with his last performance, I think he was expecting to run him [Dan Azeez] over. Maybe we could do one of these fights in Saudi or something, but we will see what happens.”
Source link
