Benjamin bids to get back in the big time

Benjamin…back at welter and fighting for IBF European title

THINGS have not, in recent years, gone to plan for Kaisee Benjamin.

Those guiding him at Birmingham’s Eastside gym still strongly believe in the highly skilled boxer, but they must secretly agree he has not yet fulfilled his vast potential.

Tomorrow (Friday) Kaisee has the opportunity to blaze back to where he belongs. At York Hall, Bethnal Green, he faces Lucas Ballingall for the IBF European welter title – that’s a half-stone step-up from the division where he produced his most explosive performances.

Manager Jon Pegg pulled no punches about the contest’s significance. “It’s massively important,” he said. “A loss isn’t career ending, but there would be a massive mountain to climb.”

Ballingall, from Portsmouth, is the younger brother of world class welter Michael McKinson. He’s lost only two of 19 and last July took the English belt by halting Billy Pickles.

But Kaisee, on his day, has the beating of Ballingall.

The problem is – and this is, in essence, the frustration of monitoring the 28-year-old’s career – you can never quite be sure if Benjamin will produce his very best.

You can never be sure which Kaisee Benjamin will show up.

There have been significant contests where I felt Kaisee could have found another gear, but didn’t.

Yet if a fighter’s success is solely down to his physical attributes, then Benjamin appears to have it all. He is athletic, skilled, carries KO powers, possesses a solid chin and fine engine.

He proved that with a string of explosive, televised stoppages.

But against journeymen on small hall shows, Benjamin appeared to coast. In a six rounder against Petar Aleksandrov at Cannock’s Premier Suite last year, he looked dreadfully lacklustre: dare I say, he looked like a fighter going through the motions.

Even in his British title loss to Dalton Smith, I felt Benjamin could’ve pressed down harder on the pedal. Having said that, the points defeat – one judge had only a single round it – against a man who has demolished opponents, cannot be sniffed at.

And Benjamin definitely let the middle rounds drift away against Irishman Sean McComb for the WBO European belt last year.

Those remain the only two real losses in a 22 bout career – a third came in a three round tournament.

Benjamin at his best is close to ring brilliance. Following his devastating 2018 demolition of Alex Fearon for the Midlands welter title, manager Pegg described Kaisee as “the complete package”: I still have the shorthand notes.

Despite the setbacks, yesterday he stood by those words.

“He has everything that is needed,” Pegg said, “but at times his motivation has not been up to it. He has an Achilles’ heel which has shown itself in certain performances. But when he puts it all together, he has everything.

“It’s a bit similar to the Kirkland Laing syndrome - capable of beating the best in the world on one day, then struggling against an ordinary American the next.”

British and European welter champ Laing famously beat Roberto Duran, then suffered a knockout to Fred Hutchings in his next bout.

There’s one big difference. Benjamin is disciplined, Laing was not.

Ballingall’s brace of losses have come against good men on points. In 2021, slick Myron Mills beat him over 10 rounds in an earlier English title shot.

In 2020, the 27-year-old travelled to Minsk, Belarus, and dropped an eight rounder to Arslan Magomedov.

He has won five inside distance, but Benjamin appears to have the greater firepower.

Ballingall has sparred on a number of occasions at Eastside gym. “He is tricky, tough, not a puncher and well-school,” added Pegg.

With the stakes so high, Benjamin will surely be up for this one. And when he’s “up”, not many can hold a candle to Kaisee.