Unbeaten two-time former super middleweight champion David ‘El Bandera Roja’ Benavídez 24-0 (21) is looking to make a statement against José Uzcátegui 31-4 (26) as he closes in on another world title shot.
The 24-year-old Benavídez will clash with Uzcátegui, 30, in a WBC super middleweight eliminator at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on November 13.
“Everything has been amazing in camp,” Benavídez said. “We’re sparring 12-13 rounds and running six or seven miles a day. I’ve worked very hard and I can’t wait to put on a show November 13.
“Uzcátegui is a tough competitor and he was a former world champion, so I have to give him that respect. There are big fights on the horizon for me, so I have to prepare accordingly for Uzcátegui.
“I feel like I’m the better fighter. I have the better skills, more power, more speed and I’m hungrier too. It’s going to be a great night for my team. I feel like I’m going to go in there and get the knockout victory.
“A lot of people in Phoenix are excited for this one. I’m excited to go back. The timing is perfect. For me, this is the biggest fight of my career. I’m ready for anything that comes my way November 13.”
While Benavídez is focused on Uzcátegui, he admits he has one eye on the upcoming super middleweight unification bout between WBC, WBA and WBO champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 56-1-2 (38) and IBF beltholder Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant 21-0 (12) in Las Vegas on November 6.
“We’re just focused on Uzcátegui, but of course there are bigger fights for me in the future,” Benavídez said. “If I win this fight, I’m in the number one spot for whoever wins between Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant.
“Facing Canelo would be a huge fight in the super middleweight division, but I have to go out there on November 13 and get this victory first.
“Right now, with the level I’m at, the fighters that I’m seeking to fight are champions and former champions. Whether it’s Canelo, Plant or Jermall Charlo, I feel like we’re all going to end up facing each other at some point.
“Canelo vs Plant is a great fight for the division. It’s a fight where both guys have a lot to prove. Those kinds of fights tend to bring the best out of everybody. There’s a lot of pressure and a lot of glory on the line, so I feel like they’re going to be the best they’ve ever been. I’m going to be ready for the winner next.
“I’ve been a pro for eight years already. I just want the biggest fights out there. This is the level I’ve been working to get to for a long time and we’re finally here at this moment. I want to fight the best of the best and prove myself. I want to show that I’m the best super middleweight in the world.
“Uzcátegui is strong and he has a will to win, but I just believe that I have the better skill set. These are the types of fighters that I need to test myself against. It’s definitely going to be a war, but I’m going to come out on top.”
