Undefeated super middleweight contender David ‘El Bandera Roja’ Benavidez 25-0 (22) is closing in on a shot at undisputed 168-pound champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Avlarez 57-1-2 (39) after turning back the challenge of late substitute Kyrone ‘Shut It Down’ Davis 16-3-1 (6) at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday night.
The 24-year-old former two-time WBC champion is the leading contender with the Mexico-based sanctioning body.
Benavidez systematically broke down the brave Davis, 27, battering him into submission in seven frames and forcing his corner to throw in the towel at the 0:48 mark.
Davis fought valiantly and had his moments in the fight, particularly in round four when he stood and traded with the bigger, stronger man. It may not have been the smartest strategy, but it made for an exciting fight.
According to CompuBox, Benavidez landed 137 of his 268 power punches (51%) including 45 to the body.
Benavidez now wants to face Mexican superstar Alvarez, who added the IBF belt to his collection of straps with an 11th round knockout of Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant 21-1 (12) the previous weekend.
Another option could be Jermall Charlo 32-0 (22) if the WBC middleweight champion decides to move up in weight.
“Everybody wants to see me against Canelo, right?” Benavidez said. “I don’t care what his assessment of my fight is but they keep putting these contenders in front of me.
“My last fight was a WBC title eliminator and that’s why I’m here holding my belts. They need to give me the opportunity.
“I’ll go through anybody. Whoever they want me to go through. If (Jermall) Charlo wants it, he can get it too. But he doesn’t want to get in the ring with me.”
On the undercard Benavidez’s brother Jose Benavidez Jr 27-1-1 (18) had to settle for a 10-round majority draw against Emanuel Torres 17-3-1 (5) in a back-and-forth battle.
When the dust settled the scores were 96-94 for Benavidez and 95-95 twice.
Neither boxer was happy with the result.
“I don’t know how I got a draw,” Benavidez Jr. “We can run it back. I beat him. I thought I beat him. He kept running. He didn’t want to stay in the pocket. I can’t do anything about the judges’ decisions. I felt good. He just kept holding. I beat him every round. What can I do?”
Benavidez was having his fought bout since being stopped by WBO welterweight champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 37-0 (28) in the 12th round three years ago. The Torres bout was contested at middleweight.
“You can hear from the crowd. I felt I won the fight,” said Argentinean Torres. “As a visitor, I came here to his backyard and they still gave it a draw. Imagine if this would have been in Buenos Aires. I definitely want the rematch. Let’s see what my management team says but I definitely want it.”
