Benavidez knows he's in mix for Canelo shot, but first he must defeat Davis on Saturday

Fight headlines Showtime card that includes Alvarez-Plant replay

Former two-time WBC super middleweight titlist David Benavidez very well could be the next challenger for newly crowned undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez when he returns in May, and he knows it.

Pound-for-pound king Alvarez, the Mexican star, facing Benavidez, one of the most exciting young fighters in boxing — and a Mexican-American to boot — would certainly make for a huge fight on Cinco de Mayo weekend.

One week ago, Benavidez watched on Showtime PPV as Alvarez knocked out Caleb Plant to unify the four major 168-pound titles and become the first undisputed world champion in division history in the three- or four-belt era.

Benavidez is next up as he takes on late replacement Kyrone Davis in the 10-round main event of a Premier Boxing Champions card on Saturday (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET) at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Benavidez’s hometown.

It will be easy to compare Benavidez and Alvarez as Showtime’s telecast will open with replay of Alvarez’s historic victory over Plant.

Benavidez (24-0, 21 KOs), 24, is rearing to go. He was supposed to face Venezuelan former world titlist Jose Uzcategui (31-4, 26 KOs), 30, on Aug. 28 in a WBC title eliminator, also in Phoenix, but the fight was postponed two weeks beforehand when Benavidez came down with Covid-19.

The fight was rescheduled for Saturday, but two weeks ago Uzcategui tested positive for the banned substance recombinant EPO in a random urine test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association and was removed from the fight.

In stepped Davis for what is no longer an official eliminator but is a de facto one for Benavidez if he wants to maintain the chance of facing Alvarez next.

“Hats off to Kyrone Davis for stepping up to the plate and taking this fight. I’m on a knockout streak and I’m keeping it going Saturday night,” Benavidez said at Thursday’s final pre-fight news conference. “The fans want to see knockouts and that’s what I want to give them. We went right back into training camp after Davis stepped in as the replacement. I’m just happy the date was still salvaged. I’ve trained with multiple sparring partners in the gym, so I’m used to adapting to different styles. We’ll adapt to what he brings on Saturday.”

At the news conference, Benavidez claimed a potential mega fight, and mega payday, with Alvarez was not on his mind.

“I’m not thinking about Canelo,” Benavidez said. “I’m just thinking about Kyrone Davis. I’m excited to give my fans a good show. I worked extremely hard for this fight and trained like it was for a world title. I’m ready for whoever they want to give me to fight next.”

“I’m not thinking about Canelo. I’m just thinking about Kyrone Davis.” — David Benavidez

However, days earlier, Benavidez made his case that he should get a crack against Canelo if he beats Davis (16-2-1, 6 KOs), 26, of Wilmington, Delaware, who two fights ago had his most notable performance in a 12-round split draw with former two-time WBC super middleweight titlist Anthony Dirrell on Feb. 27.

“I feel that’s the fight everyone wants to see for a reason,” Benavidez said of a potential Alvarez showdown on Inside Boxing Live. “We kind of do the same thing, me and Canelo. We start with combinations and then go down to the body. The difference between me and everyone else he’s fought is I’m probably the hardest-hitting fighter he’ll potentially fight since (Gennadiy) Golovkin (in 2018) and I used to work with Golovkin too. So, I now first-hand I can give as much power as Golovkin because I was having some great sparring sessions with Golovkin.

“That’s why I feel a lot of people are excited for that fight because, first of all, there’s nobody else for Canelo fight and, second of, all I think the fans want to believe there’s somebody that can beat Canelo. There’s always going to be that dancing partner that a great fighter always needs and I believe I’m it.”

But Benavidez said if he does not get Alvarez next he is OK with it. He made the point that he will turn only 25 next month and never set out just to get a big fight with Alvarez. He said he plans to be around for years to come and believes he will get his chance for a major fight.

“If I get the chance with Canelo it happens. If I don’t I’m not gonna just not fight,” said Benavidez, even suggesting that he would be fine with facing WBC middleweight titlist Jermall Charlo, who is also in the running to next face Canelo, with the winner earning a shot at Alvarez.

After the Alvarez-Plant replay, but before the main event, Jose Benavidez Jr. (27-1, 18 KOs), 29, David’s older brother, will fight for the first time in three years, since a one-sided 12th-round knockout loss challenging WBO welterweight titlist Terence Crawford in October 2018. He is moving up from welterweight to junior middleweight and will fight Francisco Emanuel Torres (17-3, 5 KOs), 31, of Argentina, in a 10-rounder.

Photo: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime

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