David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde - Fight Predictions

Plus, an undercard featuring ‘Bam’, Devin Haney, Abdullah Mason and more!

Nov 18, 2025

A select grouping of boxing royalty will head over to the Kingdom this Saturday evening for a fun evening of action, live on DAZN. Pay-per-view is dead, thankfully, so no extra charges will be incurred!

No, wait, Pay-Per-View is very much alive and kicking, just under a different name. How on earth they’re going to try and find 12 slots to fill next year is anybody’s guess. Anyway, I digress. Back to Riyadh and the ANB Arena.

It takes a lot to impress me when it comes to so-called “stacked cards”, having enjoyed the fruits of Don King’s full-throttle top-to-bottom efforts of the 90s. Too bad nobody got paid their full amount, but King knew how to fill a card.

Turki is learning the ropes quickly. We’ve got a bit of David Benavidez, a touch of sleep (Devin Haney), a nibble of Brian Norman, a bundle of ‘Bam’ Rodriguez. Let’s see who is doing what and have a stab in the dark at what’s about to go down.

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David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde

In the lead-up to this contest, I was listening to a boxing podcast featuring the writer John MacDonald, who aptly described Anthony Yarde’s career as always being in one of three stages: fighting a nobody, fighting an elite boxer or fighting Lyndon Arthur. What a great observation!

This time, it’s the elite boxer phase and I believe it will be Yarde’s last crack at the big time. Aged 34, Yarde is a good boxer, but not getting any better. Benavidez, meanwhile, is a champion at the peak of his powers.

I expect this to go similarly to Benavidez’s fight with Kyrone Davis. Yarde will start strongly as he tends to do, enjoying moments of success. Benavidez will crank up the pressure round by round. The wheels will come off mid-fight as Yarde fatigues and ships repeated leather on the way to an early conclusion.

Steve’s Prediction: David Benavidez Wins TKO/KO 7 Anthony Yarde

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez vs. Fernando Martinez

Happy to take on all-comers, Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez has fast become one of the sport’s premier operators and a pound-for-pound fighter. The small, hunched stature and personable demeanour belie Rodriguez’s abilities.

Bam’s stifling movement and sublime skills eventually catch up with opponents and smother them. I expect this to happen to Argentina’s Fernando Martinez, who is an excellent fighter in his own right.

Martinez broke onto the scene in 2022 with two wins over Jerwin Ancajas. Showing an incredible engine, Martinez’s two bouts with Kazuto Ioka cemented his position as a top super-flyweight. While Martinez still holds the WBA title, it’s a shame he no longer has the IBF, too.

Consequently, this will only be a three-belt unification rather than a full battle for undisputed. The winner, however, will be fully recognised as the main man. I back Rodriguez to be that winner as ‘Pumita’ wilts down the stretch. If Ioka can push him back, then Rodriguez can go one better.

Steve’s Prediction: Jesse Rodriguez Wins TKO/KO 11 Fernando Martinez

Brian Norman Jr vs. Devin Haney

Confession time, I’m not a fan of Devin Haney. For some reason, he just rubs me the wrong way. It seems Brian Norman feels the same. The video where he was critiquing Haney’s lavish dress choices was a funny pre-fight skit.

Haney is still carrying the lasting effects of the Ryan Garcia loss. His performance versus Jose Ramirez was so safety-first, I wonder if he’s afraid to get hit clean.

Norman is a puncher, although he can be dragged into the mire by boxer-movers. I’d love to see him pull it off, but I will conservatively lean towards the man I know more about: Devin Haney.

It will be ugly, the crowd (if they care enough) will make their negative feelings known as ‘The Dream’ lulls Norman into a coma, round after round, to an unpopular decision win.

Steve’s Prediction: Brian Norman Jr Loses Pts 12 Devin Haney

Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Noakes

Initially, I was banking on this possibly going the distance and surprising everyone. However, after refreshing my mind with some footage of both me in action and scribbling out some notes, it’s hard to give Noakes much of a chance.

Not that Mason is the finished article, but his hand speed and power will just be too much. Noakes comes forward, hands high, requiring the footwork and explosivity to get inside and do damage. I just don’t think it’s there for him. Mason’s uppercuts will do the work.

Steve’s Prediction: Abdullah Mason Wins TKO/KO 9 Sam Noakes

Vito Mielnicki Jr vs. Samuel Nmomah

It’s now clear that Vito Mielnicki is not going to be the guy some once thought. Not that he’s a bad fighter, far from it. Vito turned professional incredibly young and has been learning on the job ever since.

His style and attitude mean that every step-up fight is always a lot closer than expected. While I know next-to-nothing about Nmomah, their records suggest this will be another narrow, exciting affair. Unless Nmomah has a powder puff slate.

Five knockouts in 21 shows a lack of pop, although he has beaten reasonable, if not outstanding, opposition in Italy, so he should pack a bit of sturdiness. This is Nmomah’s first venture outside of his adopted nation and probably won’t be successful.

Steve’s Prediction: Vito Mielnicki Jr Wins Pts 10 Samuel Nmomah

Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Takuma Inoue

A good main event over in Japan on November 24 sees Tenshin Nasukawa get a world title shot after just seven fights. I must confess that I viewed Nasukawa as a bit of a novelty act early on in his career, considering the loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr, who once again displayed a keen eye for talent, picking him off before Tenshin could evolve.

Nasukawa has now evolved into a talented operator and I really enjoy watching his style and fights. Opponent Takuma Inoue is a seasoned former WBA champion, who lost his title in his last contest, so why he is eligible to box for the vacant WBC strap (vacated by Junto Nakatani) here is a little strange.

Inoue has also been out of the ring for 13 months since that Tsutsumi loss! That will play into Nasukawa’s hands. The former kickboxer will start strong, weather a mid-round comeback from Naoya’s brother, and stop him late. That’s my prediction.

Steve’s Prediction: Tenshin Nasukawa Wins TKO/KO 12 Takuma Inoue

Image Credits: The Express Tribune, Promotional.

There goes my predictions. What are YOU thinking? Let me know in the comments below. And don’t be afraid to return after the weekend and let me know what I got spectacularly wrong!

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