PREDICTIONS: Benavidez vs Andrade, Cameron vs Taylor 2, more!

Two big fights highlight the last boxing week of November, with Benavidez vs Andrade and Cameron vs Taylor 2 coming our way!

We’ve got two big fights this Saturday to close out the month of November as the year winds down!

On the final Showtime pay-per-view offering, David Benavidez will battle Demetrius Andrade in a super middleweight main event, and over on DAZN earlier in the day, Chantelle Cameron and Katie Taylor will square off for a second time in Dublin!

Who wins the fights? Those two and THREE MORE picked below.

David Benavidez vs Demetrius Andrade

Scott Christ (92-36)

One frequent topic of discussion out there is that Demetrius Andrade is not really a super middleweight. This is true, more or less; he’s had one fight at the weight, didn’t look great, didn’t seem like he loved the experience. A less frequent topic of discussion out there is that David Benavidez is barely hanging on to being a super middleweight these days. If the allure of a Canelo fight wasn’t there at 168, I think Benavidez would be up at 175.

Could Benavidez be trying to make 168 one time too many? And will Andrade, having had more time to fully adjust to the move up, be in better form this second time around at super middleweight?

Stylistically, I think this is a fairly predictable fight. If they’re both in good shape and all that, Andrade is going to have success, particularly in the first half. He’s a really, really good boxer. But Benavidez knows and respects that, and I get the sense he’s fully prepared to have some struggles dealing with Andrade, which should mean he won’t fall victim to getting overly frustrated and helping Andrade beat him.

Benavidez takes over down the stretch and puts a stamp on it late. He wanted the stoppage against Caleb Plant, and he’ll want it here. I think he gets it this time. Andrade’s not going to the heat at all. Benavidez TKO-11

Wil Esco (103-25)

I fully understand that Andrade has a population of boxing fans who just plain aren’t fond of him, but I think his critics write off his ability too easily. Andrade doesn’t have the most aesthetically pleasing style, but he’s still plenty effective in what he does and has the far deeper amatuer background and experience when compared to Benavidez. Whatever Andrade is or isn’t, he’s not going to be overwhelmed by the moment because he’s well-schooled, well-traveled, who won’t freeze under the spotlight.

Whether or not Benavidez himself can overwhelm Andrade is an entirely different story, however. Of course there’s a chance that Benavidez is able to use his pressure attack to break Andrade down, but I think Andrade is still physically intact as he’s never taken a real beating in the ring and if there’s any time for him to finally vindicate himself as the elite fighter he says he is, here it is. I’m also sitting on a comfortable lead in the staff picks and ain’t a lil’ bitch, so am equally willing to take shots when I’m up as when I’m down. I’m rolling the dice on underdog Andrade to frustrate and outpoint Benavidez over the distance. Andrade UD-12

John Hansen (90-38)

The shockingly hot topic of discussion on our site this week has been whether Demetrius Andrade should have been great but squandered his talent, or whether he never really was all that great in the first place. Wherever you fall on the issue, it seems highly unlikely to me that a guy can spend his pro career taking the equivalent of 15 consecutive gap years, then suddenly throw the switch and rise to the occasion at 35 years old.

The last time Andrade accepted a true challenge was Billy Joe Saunders, half a decade ago, and that fight never even happened because of a failed Saunders drug test. It’s not just sour grapes or “hating” to point out that Andrade could have boosted his own profile and better prepared for this Benavidez fight if he’d taken any of the orders to defend his title against Janibek, or if he’d called for a mandatory defense when Jaime Munguia was the #1 contender for his belt.

I just don’t think you can spend an entire career fighting down to the level of your overmatched competition, and not suffer for it when you take on a younger, bigger, stronger, harder hitting guy. Benavidez proved something against Caleb Plant, who has a few Andrade similarities and the added benefit of being an actual super middleweight. I think Andrade’s best case is what Plant did: surviving the distance and losing on unanimous cards. Benavidez UD-12

Patrick Stumberg (99-29)

There are plenty of fighting styles that are, within reason, weight-neutral. Demetrius Andrade’s is not one of them. I just don’t see his approach, which relies on battering opponents in the early going before shifting back to second gear once they’re sufficiently cowed, working on an indestructible fridge of a man like Benavidez.

That’s not to say Andrade won’t give him issues, of course. As we saw against Caleb Plant, Benavidez hasn’t fully developed the ring cutting necessary to make up for his concrete feet and can take a few rounds to really rev up. Compared to Plant, though, Andrade is far more prone to sacrificing technique for explosive bursts of offense, which is just asking for a bruising when Benavidez has height, reach, power, and hand speed advantages.

Andrade is not properly equipped to deal with Benavidez, and more importantly, he is not properly prepared. His only super middleweight experience came against Demond Nicholson, which is sort of like using tee ball to prepare for a crack at Randy Johnson. Andrade’s awkward bludgeoning banks him four or five rounds before Benavidez figures him out, starts punishing his overextensions, and finally batters him into submission in the championship rounds. Benavidez TKO-11

Chantelle Cameron vs Katie Taylor 2

Scott Christ (92-36)

If Taylor wins this fight, it’s going to come in controversial fashion. That wouldn’t be her first brush with scoring controversy in her career, of course, and it’s not meant to say that if she wins, it will 100 percent be a robbery.

I just don’t think she can beat Chantelle Cameron in a convincing fashion, other than the chance that Cameron maybe has gotten ahead of herself and doesn’t come in with the same fire she had the first time around. Katie fought a good fight back in May, she just lost because Cameron was the better fighter. Taylor is also 37 years old and getting into the “winding down” years; she’s still one of the best in the world, but Cameron is younger and plenty good enough, as we’ve seen.

So if Taylor wins, it’s going to be a decision with a lot of argument. She will have to scrap past Cameron. The hometown advantage is there in Dublin, but it was in May, too. And I’m looking forward to the fight. First off, it’s just a good matchup, and second, Taylor is one of the most important figures in modern boxing, a genuine legend who has had a huge hand in changing the game for the women’s side of pro ranks. Every fight could be the last one from this point. I think Saturday might be. Cameron UD-10

Wil Esco (103-25)

I picked Katie Taylor to do the business last time around, and while I was still pretty impressed by her effort I just can’t help but feel she’s getting long in the tooth. I don’t think Taylor is physically damaged in any real way, but I do wonder if she’ll still have it in her to go to the well one more time once it gets late in a tough battle. Taylor isn’t the type to just fold up and pack it in, no doubt, but I think Cameron will only take added confidence from the last win and that will propel her to push the pace in the rematch to secure another points win. Cameron UD-10

John Hansen (90-38)

This was a good, well-matched fight the first time around. I didn’t expect Cameron to press and smother Taylor the way we saw last time, and it was still only barely enough to squeak by on the scorecards. In a rematch of something that competitive, the missing element of surprise might be enough to swing the result. There’s also a good chance we see everything Taylor has left in the tank, as she presumably fights to avoid ending her career with two consecutive losses at home. I’m picking her to rise to greatness at least one more time. Taylor UD-10

Patrick Stumberg (99-29)

There was nothing off about Katie Taylor in her first fight with Chantelle Cameron. She was her usual self and it just wasn’t enough to carry her past a younger, bigger opponent who’d done her homework. Taylor could neither befuddle Cameron with superior technique nor knuckle down and out-slug her as she has so many other opponents.

I’m garbage at picking rematches and was hilariously wrong about their first fight, but after watching that bout, this doesn’t seem like a winnable matchup for Taylor. Pressure has always been her bugbear and she finally found a bruiser she couldn’t outmaneuver. Cameron makes it 2-0 in more dominant fashion. Cameron UD-10

Quick Picks!

Jermall Charlo vs Jose Benavidez Jr

• Scott: Charlo UD-10
• Wil: Charlo UD-10
• John: Charlo UD-10
• Patrick: Charlo TKO-7

Subriel Matias vs Shohjahon Ergashev

• Scott: Matias TKO-7
• Wil: Matias TKO-9
• John: Matias KO-9
• Patrick: Matias RTD-9

Hector Luis Garcia vs Lamont Roach Jr

• Scott: Roach SD-12
• Wil: Garcia UD-12
• John: Garcia UD-12
• Patrick: Garcia UD-12