David Benavidez (23-0, 20 KOs) is one of many who want to square off against Canelo Álvarez, but he wants to earn his way to face the number one pound-for-pound boxer in the world.
And to earn his way to Canelo, Benavidez aims to face off three pugilists, Billy Joe Saunders, Jermall Charlo, and Caleb Plant.
Stripped off from his title twice, David Benavidez eyes to become WBC champion a third time
The former WBC super-middleweight champion, who has held the green and gold belt twice in his career, will be returning to the squared circle on 13th March against Ronald Ellis at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Montville, Connecticut.
However, the undefeated youngster who goes by the nickname “El Bandera Roja” wants to return to titleholder status, and to get back the WBC belt around his waist, Benavidez will have to face the current champion, none other than Canelo.
Four years after making his professional boxing debut, Benavidez clinched the WBC title against Ronald Gavril in September 2017 in Las Vegas and defended the belt in the rematch in February next year.
He was stripped off from the title after testing positive for cocaine in September 2018 and was handed a four month ban by the WBC, before returning to the ring in 2019 March.
The same year, he won the title for the second time against Anthony Dirrell, but unfortunately was stripped off the title for the second time after blowing weight before the Roamer Alexis Angulo fight in August last year.
Three months later, Canelo Álvarez began his reign at 168, thrashing Callum Smith for the vacant WBC belt as well as winning the WBA (Super) super-middleweight title.
Now eyeing the green and gold belt once again, Benavidez feels he must face the stalwarts at 168- Saunders, Charlo, and Plant, before earning a title fight against Canelo and believes he can thrash all three of them.
“I want to earn the Canelo fight, I feel like the way I earn the Canelo fight is going through all these people [Billy Joe Saunders, Jermall Charlo, Caleb Plant] and I’m sure I can make it happen, I’m 100% sure I can beat all these guys,” Benavidez spoke to Brian Custer on The Last Stand Podcast.
“So the only thing I need is an opportunity right now and at the end of the day boxing wins because these are the fights fans want to see,” the 24-year-old added. (H/T BoxingScene)
Saunders, who currently holds the WBO super middleweight title, is going to square off against Canelo to unify the belts on 8th May, while a subsequent clash against IBF champion Caleb Plant is also on the works to determine the undisputed at 168.
Charlo, on the other hand, holds the WBC title at middleweight and was last seen in action against Sergiy Derevyanchenko last September.
