UFC flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez says his powerful striking will be the difference in his title fight with Demetrious Johnson at UFC 152.
“I love the fact that I’m getting to fight Demetrious Johnson. We’re the two best guys in the world. I’ve always been impressed by him as a fighter and he’s always someone I looked at and was like, ‘that would be an awesome fight, me versus this guy.’ I know where I’m better than him and I know where he has the advantages. You have to go into a fight like that. He’s a speedy fighter, a very active fighter. As far as power goes, you definitely gotta respect it but that’s not something I’m going to worry about. I’m going into the fight knowing I’m the powerful striker here. He’s going to be on the defensive. Of course I’d like to test his chin out. Everyone that I go in there, that’s the goal, to hurt them with every punch I throw. Whether it be in the body or in the face, I’m looking to hurt them with every punch. I’m going to be going for it the whole time and when you put pressure on him, that’s when you see people break. Thankfully, that’s what I’m good at, putting pressure on people. … My goal was to come in and be champion and now it’s so close, I can taste it. So there’s no way I’m going to let him take it away from me.”
