Former two-time WBC super middleweight champion David Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs) bludgeoned the tough replacement opponent Kyrone Davis (16-3-1, 6 KOs) in batting him until his corner pulled the plug in the seventh round on Saturday night in their clash on Showtime at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
Davis, 27, showed a good chin in soaking up a lot of punishment from the hard-hitting 24-year-old Benavidez. Earlier in the fight, Davis was using the pull back to avoid getting hit, but he gave up on that and began struggling with Benavidez from the fourth.
The fight became totally one-sided at that point because Davis lacked the power to slug with the bigger and stronger Benavidez. The time of the stoppage was at :48.
In the co-feature bout, former welterweight world title challenger Jose Benavidez Jr. (27-1-1, 18 KOs) struggled mightily in fighting to a ten round majority draw against Emanuel Torres (17-3-1, 5 KOs) in middleweight action.
Torres appears to do more than enough to deserve the win, but the judges opted to score the contest a highly questionable draw.
The scores were: 96-94 for Benavidez, 95-95, and 95-95. Boxing News 24 scored it for Torres 98-92. Jose needs to drop back down to 147 because he’s not big or powerful enough to campaign at 160.
Benavidez (24-0, 21 KOs) needs an emphatic win to stay active in the Canelo Alvarez lottery for his next fight on Cinco de Mayo holiday next May in 2022.
Boxing News 24 will be giving updates of the action below:
A sensational knockout win over (16-2-1, 6 KOs) tonight might be what the doctor ordered for the 24-year-old Benavidez to get picked out by Canelo (57-1-2, 39 KOs) for his next fight.
Benavidez has heavy competition, though, in Jermall Charlo, Gennadiy Golovkin, Artur Beterbiev, and Dimitry Bivol in trying to get a fight with Canelo.
Full card:
David Benavidez vs. Kyrone Davis
Jose Benavidez Jr. vs. Francisco Emanuel Torres
Rock Dodler Myrthil vs. Ladarius Miller
Jonathan Javier Fierro vs. Victor Ruiz
Keenan Carbajal vs. Josean Figueroa-Bonilla
Elijah Lorenzo Garcia vs. Todd Manuel
Jesus Abel Ibarra vs. Hector Ruben Ambriz Suarez
Farid Ngoga vs. Isaac Freeman
Micky Scala vs. Martez Jackson
Benavidez Explains Why He Deserves Canelo Fight
“First things first, I’m the #1 contender at super middleweight and I’ve been at super middleweight my whole,” said Benavidez to the Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer on why he deserves to fight undisputed 168-lb champion Canelo Alvarez rather than Jermall Charlo in his next title defense.
“Jermall Charlo has never fought at super middleweight and is just trying to skip in line to go straight to the paycheck. That’s why I said I don’t mind fighting Charlo. That would be a great situation to have an interim belt.
“It makes sense on both sides, but I feel that Charlo is not sure about himself. If I was such an easy fight like he says I was, and that he was going to knock me out and break my neck like he said he was, he would have been took me out.
“I’m a good name on the resume. If anyone beats me, I’m a good name on anybody’s resume,” said Benavidez. “I told them, I called Louis DeCubis and I told them to tell Al Haymon that we can make this IBF or WBC title eliminator or WBC interim title, and then the winner takes Canelo.
“I feel like that’s the fairest thing to do. Charlo has never fought at 168, so how is he going to skip the line and go and fight Canelo in his first fight at 168?” Benavidez said.
Two More Years At 168 Says Benavidez
“I don’t think so, to be honest with you,” said Benavidez when asked if he’s reached his prime yet. “And I feel like my man strength is getting here because I was hurting a lot of sparring partners. I feel different.
“My body is getting more muscle, but I feel like you don’t peak in your prime until 27, 29, so that’s definitely a scary thing for all my opponents.
“Also too what’s helping me hit my peak is the training that I’m putting into it. I train every single day and I only take two weeks off from my fight and then I go back into my training.
“The strength and conditioning training I’ve been doing since I was 15-years-old, I’ve still done it, and that’s why everything has been the same. That’s why I’m so strong and my conditioning is so good because I’ve been working like an animal since I was 15-years-old and I look to continue that.
“I’m trying to take it fight by fight, but I feel with the diet I’ve had and everything I’ve been doing, I feel like I can do another two years,” said Benavidez when asked how much longer he’ll be able to stay at 168,” said Benavidez.
David Has No Ill-Will Towards Jake Paul
“I feel like the reason he’s making millions is because of his fanbase,” said Benavidez when asked about his thoughts on YouTuber Jake Paul making millions for his boxing events.
“You have to respect somebody that puts in the time and the work in training camp,” said Benavidez.
“A lot of people that have money like this, they just party and drink and go to the club.
“He’s actually trying to make a name for himself. Obviously, he’s not at the level of the world champions.
“Even if he wants to fight Canelo or anybody, if he takes that as disrespect, then so be it. But some guys I know, myself, my brother, I’ve been boxing since I was three years old.
“That’s 21 years. There are certain situations that you go through when box for so long. I’ve seen it all in there. Jake Paul, I don’t know how long he’s been boxing, but he’s working hard.
“I don’t take nothing away from him, but this is a different level. This is definitely a different level, but he’s done a good job with his fanbase and everything he’s done.
“I feel like if you can sell 1.2 million pay-per-view, nothing should be taken away from you. That’s not easy,” said Benavidez.
Undefeated former two-time WBC super middleweight champion David Benavidez will be taking on the tough upset-minded Kyrone Davis in the main event on Showtime tonight.
The fight card will be taking place at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Action beings at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.