David Benavidez reveals he expects Anthony Yarde to prove dangerous as he defends his WBC title

David Benavidez is not looking past Anthony Yarde

David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KO’s) is set to tackle Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KO’s) this Saturday, November 22, as he makes his first WBC light heavyweight title defence .

Benavidez won the strap in February, outpointing David Morrell in a hotly contested Las Vegas showdown.

Yard will prove to be another tough test for the undefeated star, having floated around the top of the division for some time now.

And Benavidez is not taking his British counterparts' skillset for granted, revealing that he will have to be careful in the ring this weekend.

“I feel like, for me, I’m the more intelligent fighter. I feel like I’m on a different level from Anthony Yarde," Benavidez told Queensberry Promotions .

“I’ve showed that I’m from a higher pedigree but I know that he’s going to come in there, he’s going to try to throw some big shots, he’s going to try to rattle me up but at the end of the day I’m the more intelligent fighter and if he wants a shootout, we can do a shootout.

“At the end of the day this is what I’m here for. That does not scare me or intimidate me in any kind of way. This is the type of fight I want. I want a great fight, I want a hard fight, and I want to show the fans that I am the best in the weight division.

“He can say it’s going to be a shootout but I’m the more intelligent fighter. I’m going to go in there — obviously I’m not going to be dumb, I’m going to follow my game plan and I’m going to be intelligent with the shot selections I make. So it’s definitely going to be a game of chess, but it’s going to be a high volume game of chess.”

Anthony Yarde has failed twice at crowning himself world champion. At the age of 34, this is likely a last roll of the dice for the light-heavyweight veteran. As a result, his American adversary is aware that this may bring a new wave of danger, as Yarde mounts a Hail Mary title charge.

“I think it’s a little bit of both…It makes him more dangerous because this might be the last time he gets an attempt at a title shot, but nonetheless, he’s lost both world title shots that he’s had and he’s gotten knocked out in both of them.

“I know he came in really prepared but I give him the respect he deserves. I’ve treated this fight like it’s the hardest fight of my career. I’ve trained about four months and a half for this fight. I know what comes with this so I’m ready for whatever Anthony Yarde brings my way but I’m going to make sure I’m as vicious, as relentless as I am in every fight.”