David Benavidez triumphs as Demetrius Andrade's corner stops bout - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — David Benavidez, with each punishing left and right hand, left no doubt: He has earned a shot at Canelo Alvarez.

In another thrilling performance for the undefeated fighter, Benavidez defeated Demetrius Andrade when Andrade's corner stopped the super middleweight bout following the sixth round Saturday night at Mandalay Bay.

Immediately after, Benavidez was warmly greeted by boxing legend Mike Tyson.

«I just told Mike Tyson that I love him and thank you so much for the motivation he's given me,» said Benavidez, ESPN's No. 2 boxer at 168 pounds. «It's not everyday a boxing legend like Mike Tyson gives people nicknames, so I just want to live up to my name.»

It's Tyson who bestowed Benavidez with the moniker «The Mexican Monster,» and Benavidez more than lived up to it Saturday night.

Andrade, a former two-division champion, was boxing well until Benavidez floored him in the closing seconds of Round 4 with a right-handed haymaker.

Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) poured on the punishment the following round as he looked to finish off Andrade, but he hung tough. Instead of trying to clinch, Andrade tried to fight his way out of the trouble.

Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) was able to land some effective combinations in Round 6. He snapped Benavidez's head back with an uppercut, but moments later, Andrade was the one spitting out blood. Soon after the bell rang to end the round, the fight was over, too.

«I think the first shot I caught him with was when I dipped his left hand and came back with a right hand, and that made a point,» said Benavidez, 26, who fights out of Seattle. «And I knew I had to keep putting the pressure on him because he wasn't going to keep taking those shots.

»Everybody says I'm not this, I'm not that, I'm