By Allan Fox: Undefeated David Benavidez (24-0, 21 KOs) will be fighting Jose Uzcategui (31-4, 26 KOs) next month in a 12 round WBC super middleweight title eliminator on August 28th at the Phoenix Suns Arena
The former two-time WBC super middleweight title-holder Benavidez and former IBF champion Uzcategui will be headlining on SHOWTIME.
Benavidez, 24, is familiar with Uzcategui from having sparred with him in the past, so he knows what he brings to the table.
Uzcategui comes into the contest with a two-fight winning streak, and he’s hoping to pick up his third straight win.
Benavidez-Uzcategui winner to be WBC mandatory
The winner of the contest will be the mandatory challenger to WBC 168-lb champion Canelo Alvarez.
We’ll see if Canelo vacates his WBC title if Benavidez becomes his mandatory. Canelo hasn’t shown the inclination to want to share the ring with Benavidez.
It’s likely that Canelo will give up his WBC belt if he successfully defeats WBO 168lb champion Caleb Plant in September.
That might be one of the reasons why Canelo is interested in moving up to 175 to challenge IBF/WBC champion Artur Beterbiev. The 36-year-old Beterbiev is older and slower than Benavidez, and easier fight for Canelo.
“I’m excited, I’m working extremely hard and I can’t wait to give the fans a great fight,” said Benavidez to ESNEWS on his August 28th fight against Uzcategui.
“I’m going to knock his a** out. Every opponent is the same. I ain’t got nothing against nobody. I’m going in there and I want to get respect from the fans and my people,” said Benavidez.
Uzcategui, 30, has never been knocked out before during his ten-year professional career, so it would be an accomplishment if Benavidez is able to stop him.
Benavidez is going to have to be mindful of his defense because he can’t afford to let Uzcategu land the kinds of shots that his last opponent Ronald Ellis did last March.
David Benavidez wants to stop Uzcategui
“I’m just grinding. The fight is getting closer with seven weeks left, and I’m already doing eight and ten rounds,” said Benavidez to Round By Round Boxing.
“I’m excited to have a hometown fight. I haven’t fought in Arizona in five or six years. Jose Uzcategui, he’s a strong fighter.
“I know him and sparred him before. So I know first-hand what he can do, and no one stopped him before.
“I want to be the first one to stop him, and I know it’s not going to be easy. He’s a tough opponent, and he’s an ex-champion like I’m an ex-champion.
“We’re both at the pinnacle of our careers. If we win, we go for another world title. So he’s going to be coming in very hungry and very prepared.
“And so I’m going to come in there to knock him out. For tough fights like this, you got to do what you got to do, but you’ve got to do it a little bit better.
“So I’m just trying to sharpen the tools that I have. I’m trying to add a little bit more weapons to the arsenal,” said Benavidez. “I sparred with a lot of people, throwing punches in bunches, body shots, jabs. So we’ll see if Uzcategui has the style to counter that, then we’ll adjust in there.
“I think it’s going to be like when I fought Porky Medina, but a little bit harder. It’s kind of like the same style, and the stakes are higher. He’s never been knocked out. I want to be the first one to knock him out.
I’m working out really hard, and I feel like this is going to be one of the best fights I’ve ever had. The 175-lb weight class is really nice, and I wouldn’t mind going up there and facing all those guys too.
Whatever opportunity comes my way after the Uzcategui fight. If I get an opportunity at 175, I’ll go up to 175. I have my doors open at 168. I’m an ex-champion.
Canelo stops Caleb Plant predicts Benavidez
“I think Caleb Plant gets knocked out,” said Benavidez in predicting a victory for Canelo Alvarez in their potential fight on September 18th.
“I recently heard that they’re giving him [Plant] $10 million, and he’s still asking for more.
“So I don’t doubt that fight doesn’t happen, but I think Canelo knocks his a** out too. I don’t like Caleb Plant. Caleb Plant,” said Benavidez when asked who he wants to knock out the most in boxing.