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At one point, David Benavidez slumped his shoulders in despair. Although the 26-year-old aggregated a flawless record and two separate world title reigns, the elite of the super middleweight division showed little to no interest in facing him.
Nevertheless, after years of bellyaching and calling out all comers, Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) was eventually given his wish. While a date and venue have yet to be revealed, the former WBC belt holder recently announced that both he and longtime rival Caleb Plant, have agreed to terms for a mouthwatering matchup.
Plant, born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, has mostly brushed aside the persistent threats of his upcoming foe. Having felt the intoxicating feeling of becoming a world champion, the 30-year-old is anxious to reclaim championship glory.
Canelo Alvarez, one year prior, violently stamped his name in boxing’s annals, defeating Plant via 11th-round stoppage to become the division’s first undisputed champion. Surly in the immediate aftermath, Plant reworked the kinks in his overall game. In his first fight since the lone defeat of his career, Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) displayed a new and improved offensive arsenal, stopping former two-time champion, Anthony Dirrell, on October 15th.
With his confidence fully restored, Plant will be given the opportunity to avenge his defeat to Alvarez, should he pick up the victory against Benavidez.
Unsurprisingly, the 26-year-old from Phoenix, Arizona, has looked up towards the heavens gleefully, as showdowns against boxing’s premier names are beginning to take shape. When last seen, Benavidez took out years of frustration on long-faded former titlist, David Lemieux, stopping his man in the third round earlier this year.
Still, the way in which Benavidez handled his foe, he’s under no illusion that Plant will crumble just as easily. In spite of their contentious relationship, Benavidez admits that Plant is an upper-echelon fighter, one who will be difficult to deal with come fight night.
“I know it’s not gonna be easy,” said Benavidez during an interview with FightHype.com. “Caleb is a good fighter, he’s a good defensive fighter but I feel like overall I’m stronger, faster, I think better, and have more punching power.”