Benjamin gets major title fight in Ireland
Kaisee Benjamin…huge title opportunity in Ireland at welterweight
AFTER close to a year away, Kaisee Benjamin is back.
The thunderous punching super-lightweight returns on a big show with a major title on the line.
The Birmingham 29-year-old will face unbeaten home favourite Kieran Molloy on GBM’s title laden bill at Pearse Stadium, Galway, Ireland on June 28. At stake will be the WBA European belt up at welter.
It’s a very significant night for Benjamin’s Eastside gym. Shakan Pitters will face Bradley Rea for the EBU light-heavyweight crown on the same stacked card.
For Benjamin, it is a golden opportunity to again hit the dizzy heights, but a loss could forever bury his ambition to feature in major contests for major money.
In that sense, it may be the last roll of the dice.
And what an opportunity. He is headlining a huge event, streamed by DAZN, against an Irishman with a huge following. Molloy is unbeaten in 11, but has never travelled the championship course.
Eastside trainer Paul “Soggy” Counihan said: “You are getting great money, you are headlining, if you win you’re back in the big league, you’re where you should have been. What more do you want?”
As a fighter, Benjamin remains a puzzle. He appears to possess everything needed to be a dominant champ – knockout punch in both hands, lightning reflexes, good engine and granite chin.
On his day, he is a formidable fighting package. He showed that with a string of stunning televised stoppage wins. He showed that in giving superb, world rated champion Dalton Smith a hard, close fight for the British 10 stone title.
The issue is, Kaisee can run hot and cold. He has appeared to coast in some fights, failing to find another gear when needed – and it has proved costly.
He should’ve beaten Sean McComb for the WBO European title, yet allowed the early rounds to slip away.
He definitely should’ve beaten Lucas Ballingall for the IBF European welter belt. Benjamin allowed himself to be outworked for long periods. When he finally pressed down on the pedal, in the 10th, he dropped Ballingall. It was too little, too late.
Manager Jon Pegg and Eastside trainer Counihan do not hide their frustration when discussing Benjamin. There is no point – the flaw has been revealed too many times.
“He has had three major fights,” said Counihan, “which, in our opinion, he could’ve won if he put his foot on the gas a little bit more.
“He started too late against McComb. Against Ballingall, we were telling him to go for it, we know what he’s capable of. He dropped Ballingall in the last round and had him out on his feet. We’ve read him the riot act so many times.
“Kaisee can punch with both hands, he has a brilliant chin – he’s never been down, he is tough. He just has this habit of boxing at his own pace.”
Next month’s fight is very winnable, Counihan stressed. Problem is, no one can be sure which version of Kaisee Benjamin will step through the ropes.
“The guy he is boxing is a massive ticket-seller,” the trainer said. “He has never fought the opposition Kaisee has fought, he has never done 10 rounds, he’s had less than half the number of fights. He’s not a monster.
“It is all there for Kaisee to win, but he has to go in there and do it. If he does what we want him to do, and know he can do, he wins in style, but he has to bring it. He’s assured us he’s going to put on a performance.
“The problem with Kaisee is he likes to box at his own pace and it’s detrimental to him. He could’ve beaten McComb, he should’ve beaten Ballingall, in my opinion he could’ve beaten Dalton Smith.”
Manager Pegg summed up the conundrum that is Kaisee Benjamin. He said: “Kaisee is more than capable. He is the only person in the country to give Dalton Smith a proper argument. If he turns up properly, he wins. If he doesn’t turn up properly…well, he’s lost to worse fighters than Kieran Molloy.”