Jose Benavidez Jr. was a highly touted prospect when he burst on the scene, but it’s now clear his younger brother, David, carries the most promise.
The 19-year-old is quickly rising through the ranks, his impressive power on display in each outing. Benavidez (15-0, 14 KOs) will headline for the first time Friday, a PBC on ESPN fight vs. Denis Douglin at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
The super middleweight prospect is hopeful the step-up fight will be a springboard to bigger things to come soon.
“I see myself fighting someone in the top ten by the end of the year,” said Benavidez, who is trained by his father, Jose, in Long Beach, Calif. “I just beat an undefeated fighter in (Francy) Ntetu, who pushed me. I want to fight more guys like him and earn my way to the top. I know if I continue to win fights, many opportunities will open up for me.”
The Phoenix, Ariz.- based pressure fighter has plowed through limited opposition thus far. He’s kept a busy schedule with this being his fourth fight in 2016; activity is vital for any young fighter on the way out.
“I didn’t mind getting right back to the gym,” said Benavidez, who has been fighting since he was 3 years old. “This is my lifestyle now. I just want to train. I want to look at what I did wrong in my last fight and fix it. I don’t want to get rusty in between fights. When I’m not physically training, I’m thinking about mistakes I made in fights, techniques that can be improved. I want to get better each fight, and I’m consumed by that.
“I have a lot of work to do, but I set the bar high for myself and I won’t settle for mediocrity. I got my eye on all the champions at super middleweight. I’m just going to take it one fight at a time.”
Benavidez is widely expected to easily upend Douglin (20-4, 13 KOs), a once-promising prospect who never realized his potential.
Said Jose Benavidez Sr.: “It’s this commitment to success and improvement that sets David apart from other young men his age, and other fighters. This is what makes him different, and this is why he’s going to be the best.”
(Photo of Benavidez by Valentin Romero/Team Benavidez/Premier Boxing Champions)
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