This Saturday, November 22, 2025, the ANB Arena in Saudi Arabia hosts “The Ring IV,” a card stacked with enough drama to make Shakespeare jealous. 

The main event is David “The Mexican Monster” Benavidez defending his WBC light heavyweight title against Anthony “The Beast from the East” Yarde. It’s a clash of titans, one a relentless predator, the other a sniper with a chip on his shoulder. As someone who’s analyzed more haymakers than a hay fever specialist, I’m here to break it down, spill the tea, and drop my official pick. Spoiler: the Monster doesn’t come to play.

The Monster: David Benavidez – Undefeated Engine of Destruction

A 28-year-old Phoenix native, standing 6’2″ with a 74-inch reach that feels like it’s got its own zip code, Benavidez is 30-0, with 24 knockouts, an 80% KO rate. He snagged his first world title at super middleweight when he was barely old enough to rent a car, becoming the youngest champ in division history at 20 years and change. Fast-forward to now, and he’s the WBC light heavy champ, fresh off a unanimous decision clinic over David Morrell Jr. in February 2025.

Benavidez isn’t just a puncher; he’s a pressure cooker with a PhD in ring geometry. Orthodox stance, but don’t let that fool you – he’s a fusion of brawler and technician, walking down foes like a border collie herding sheep straight into the slaughterhouse. Strengths? Explosive hand speed that lets him unload volume punches without gassing, a jab that sets traps sharper than a cactus spine, and counterpunching that turns aggression against itself. He’s got that rare gift: controlled chaos. Cut off the ring? Check. Trap you on the ropes? Double check. And his chin? It’s held up against heavy artillery from guys like Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Demetrius Andrade.

Benavidez has a solid resume. He’s the guy who makes “undefeated” feel inevitable, not accidental.

The Beast: Anthony Yarde – Britain’s Knockout Poet with a Title Scar

Enter Yarde, the 34-year-old Hackney hustler who’s been knocking on world title doors since he turned pro at 23, a late bloomer with just 12 amateur scraps under his belt. At 6’0″ with a curiously compact 72-inch reach (yeah, it’s like his arms decided to carpool), Yarde packs 27 wins, 24 KOs , an 89% stoppage rate that turns fights into highlight reels. His latest? A gritty unanimous decision over Lyndon Arthur in April 2025, avenging a prior loss and proving he’s got heart to match the heat.

Yarde’s style? Orthodox, and explosive, with a right hand that lands like a London blackout. He’s got speed in those mitts, a slick defense that even Sergey Kovalev tipped his hat to after dropping him in 2019, and a strong boxing IQ. His Strengths should shine in the early chaos: he drops bombs from angles, uses footwork to circle and counter, and his 89% KO ratio isn’t fluff The man’s a beast, alright.

We know Yarde isn’t undefeated, but here’s the rub: those losses? They’re title-fight tattoos. TKO’d by Kovalev in the 11th for the WBO strap, then dismantled in eight by Artur Beterbiev in 2023 for the unified gold. Durability against the absolute elite? It’s his Achilles’ heel. Yarde thrives when he can pick his spots, but when pressed into a war of attrition, that compact frame can buckle. He’s bounced back each time, sure – rematch wins and all – but facing Benavidez’s volume machine? That’s not a spot; that’s a furnace.

The Breakdown: Pressure vs. Precision in the Desert

This isn’t just a fight; it’s a stylistic safari. Benavidez will march forward, jabbing Yarde off the throne and herding him into phone-booth scraps where his power reigns supreme. Yarde’s no slouch – early rounds could see him potshotting with that right, maybe even wobbling the Monster if he times a counter just so. But Benavidez’s engine doesn’t sputter; he averages over 60 punches a round, turning defenses into sieges. Yarde’s reach disadvantage (two inches shorter) means he’ll eat body shots while loading up, and once Benavidez smells blood – around rounds 4-6 – it’s body snatching time.

Yarde’s path to upset? Box smart, use the ring like Kovalev couldn’t quite solve him early on, and pray for a KO window. But Benavidez has solved smarter puzzles. The Saudi heat? It’ll favor the younger, deeper Benavidez. The undercard buzz – Haney vs. Norman lurking – only amps the stakes, but this one’s the pulse-pounder.

Official Pick: Benavidez by TKO in Round 10

Call it: David Benavidez stops Anthony Yarde in the ninth, turning the Beast into a footnote in the Monster’s legend. Yarde hangs tough, bloodying the canvas with heart, but Benavidez’s relentless tide washes him away. It’s not disrespect – Yarde’s a warrior worthy of the shot – but Benavidez is the division’s apex predator, and Riyadh’s just his latest hunting ground.

Tune in on DAZN at 12 a.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET – ringwalks around 6 a.m. PT. Boxing’s beautiful brutality awaits. Who you got? Hit me in the comments. Until the bell, stay punchy.

By Vincent

Photo Courtesy of the WBC