Posted on 03/14/2021
By: Hans Themistode
David Benavidez hadn’t even wiped the blood away from his gloves before turning to the camera and calling out his next opponent.
“I wanna fight Charlo,” said Benavidez during a virtual press conference. “I think that would be a great fight. He was saying all this stuff that he could knock me out, come do it.”
Just moments before daring WBC middleweight titlist Jermall Charlo to step into the ring with him, Benavidez handed fringe contender Ronald Ellis a one-sided beating at the Mohegan Sun Casino, in Uncasville Connecticut. Each punch that Benavidez landed produced a smile on his 24-year-old face.
After relentlessly tormenting his man for the vast majority of their contest, referee Johnny Callas mercifully called an end to their bout in the 11th.
With unified champion Canelo Alvarez and WBO belt holder Billy Joe Saunders wrapped up in a unification contest that will take place in early May, along with IBF titlist Caleb Plant currently waiting on standby to take on the winner, Benavidez has given his undivided attention to Charlo.
On several occasions the WBC middleweight champion has stated that despite Benavidez campaigning one weight class higher, that he would have no problem moving up in weight and leaving the 24-year-old flat on his back.
Since his bold claims, Charlo has somewhat changed his tune. No longer is he interested in facing Benavidez at 168 pounds, instead, he has offered to take him on at a catchweight. Even if Benavidez were willing to accept his fight terms, Charlo outlined several other demands including Benavidez, along with anyone else he faces, taking a COVID-19 vaccine and refusing to take on anyone under the age of 25. Currently, that would make Benavidez ineligible to placate Charlo’s wishes.
With that said, the former two time super middleweight belt holder is now of the belief that even if he could alter his date of birth documents and get vaccinated, that Charlo would still be hesitant to put his money where his mouth is and make the fight happen.
“He said he was going to move up to 168 but now he’s back peddling. He was saying all this stuff that he could knock me out, come do it.”
While his preference is to face Charlo next, that doesn’t absolve the rest of the super middleweight division. Regardless of Benavidez being one of the youngest and least experienced fighters in his weight class, he won’t back down from his claim that it doesn’t matter who steps into the ring with him next. The end result will be the exact same.
“If anybody thinks it’s an easy task then come see me in the ring. I’ll show you otherwise. I’m willing to fight whoever, I’m not scared of anybody. I’m the youngest guy on this roster and I’ll knock everybody out.”