This weekend features a big light heavyweight attraction between David Benavidez and Anthony Yarde, who will collide in Riyadh on Saturday. Ahead of their impending battle, both fighters sat down for a face to face interview with DAZN and showed plenty of respect towards one another as they both look forward to putting on a great show for fans. Here’s some of what they had to say below.
Benavidez on facing Yarde
“I watched his fights. He likes to go forward, he likes to press the action, he likes to look for the knockout, so I’m the same way. So I think at the end of the day it’s going to be both egos going at each other — who’s going to back up? It’s not going to be me. It’s probably not going to be him, either.
“When we’re ready to go to war the people are going to see a great war, and that’s what we’re here for, to give the fans what they want to see.”
Yarde on if he sees flaws in Benavidez
“Regardless, no boxer is perfect. No boxer is without flaws. With my power, if I land on him at the wrong time, he’s gone. Same thing for him with me. He’s a big volume puncher, great pressure, etc. but styles make fights. But I think what makes this fight such an exciting fight is that anybody I’ve hit — anybody — their legs have gone, even at the highest of levels. What’s been to my detriment sometimes is experience and because of these fights I’ve been in, I feel like this is a good time for me.”
Benavidez on Yarde’s experience
“He’s a great fighter. I see that he has tremendous experience, he’s been in there with the best fighters, the best of the best. I feel like the Anthony Yarde that I’m going to fight is going to be the best Anthony Yarde that anyone has ever seen because I feel like his back’s against the wall. This is his third time that he has an attempt to win a world title, so it’s a dangerous fighter. He has a lot of experience, he’s hungry, he’s a power puncher, and he wants it.
“I know at the end of the day once I get a fighter that’s really hungry in there, he pushes me to the next level and he brings the best out of me.”
