David Benavidez vs Anthony Yarde: Preview & Betting Tips

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David Benavidez has yet to lose a professional fight and ‘The Mexican Monster’ will make the first defence of his WBC light-heavyweight belt against Anthony Yarde on Saturday night.

After proving himself as one of the most avoided fighters at 168-pounds, Benavidez (30-0, 24 KO’s) moved up to light-heavyweight with expectation and pressure, and he silenced all of the doubters with an unanimous decision victory over David Morrell earlier this year.

Yarde (27-3, 24 KO’s) has twice now challenged for world titles against Sergey Kovalev and Artur Beterbiev, and both times he came up short, though both efforts showcased his danger and explosiveness.

Tale of the Tape

David Benavidez – Odds 1.08 (Sky Bet)

Record: 30-0, 24 KO’s

Age: 28

Height: 6ft2

Reach: 74”

Weight: Light-heavyweight 

Stance: Orthodox 

Anthony Yarde – Odds 7.50 (Sky Bet)

Record: 27-3, 24 KO’s

Age: 33

Height: 5ft11

Reach: 72”

Weight: Light-heavyweight 

Stance: Orthodox 

David Benavidez vs Anthony Yarde: Analysis

Benavidez is known for suffocating pressure, relentless punch volume, snapping combinations and an engine that rarely fades. Unlike most pressure fighters, he boxes well at mid-range, firing off long-armed combinations and brutal body shots. At 175-pounds, he certainly carries more power and improved durability, all of which make him a nightmare.

Yarde’s raw power is among the best in the division. He is explosive, athletic, sharp on the counter and fights very well in the first half of fights. When he sits down on his punches, he can hurt anyone as we saw in the Beterbiev fight, where Yarde had real moments of success. His downfall, historically, is stamina; if taken into deep waters, his output can drop dramatically.

Benavidez vs Yarde: Prediction & Betting Tips

Bookmakers have quite rightly listed Benavidez as a strong favourite, given his undefeated record, activity level and reputation. Still, Yarde’s power and early explosiveness make him an underdog with legitimate upset potential and high betting value.

While Yarde is always dangerous, especially early, the matchup favours Benavidez the longer it goes. His jab, body work, and overwhelming volume tend to break opponents down systematically. If he survives Yarde’s early threats, which are a real risk, then the fight begins tilting dramatically in his favour.

The two bets I’m willing to dutch across are, firstly: David Benavidez to win in rounds 7-12 at odds of 2.63 (Sky Bet). The second bet is: Anthony Yarde to win in rounds 1-6 at odds of 19.00 (Sky Bet).

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