Canelo Alvarez to Fight Jaime Munguia in Las Vegas in May

Posted on March 9, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

May the Fourth be wih Canelo Alvarez.

The 33-year-old Mexican boxing superstar has finalized a deal to fight Jaime Munguia on May 4 fight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for Alvarez’s undisputed super middleweight championship.

It’s a one-fight deal for Alvarez and Premier Boxing Champions, sources said, after the sides parted ways last week with two bouts remaining on a three-fight agreement signed last June.

It’s a coup for PBC to welcome Alvarez, boxing’s top star, back into the fold for its second pay-per-view offering as part of its new partnership with Amazon‘s Prime Video.

DAZN, the streaming service that has an exclusive deal with Golden Boy Promotions, will also carry the event.

Munguia’s past 12 fights were streamed by DAZN. The 27-year-old Mexican fighter has been co-promoted by Zanfer and Golden Boy.

“On May 4, I’ll be fighting Jaime Munguia at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas,” Alvarez posted on social media. “Mexico vs. Mexico!”

Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) is coming off a career-best win, a ninth-round TKO of John Ryder in January. He has steadily improved under the guidance of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.

Now, Munguia will represent Alvarez’s first Mexican opponent since Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in 2017. Munguia is rated No. 4 by ESPN at 168 pounds.

Alvarez, ESPN’s No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer, was lined up for a championship defense against Jermall Charlo in May. However, Alvarez and PBC couldn’t agree to terms for the matchup, which contractually allowed him to explore other options.

Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) discussed a return to DAZN for bouts with Munguia and Edgar Berlanga this year, but when those talks stalled the champion returned to the table with PBC, sources said.

Alvarez plans to fight on Mexican Independence Day weekend in September as well.

Alvarez defeated Jermall’s twin brother, Jermell Charlo, via unanimous decision in September to retain his undisputed super middleweight championship as he kicked off the PBC partnership.

When the deal was signed in June, Jermall Charlo was lined up as the first opponent before he ultimately withdrew because of personal matters. Jermell stepped in, while Jermall and Errol Spence Jr. loomed as possibilities for the second and third bouts of the deal. That was before Spence was TKO’d by Terence Crawford in a one-sided beatdown in July, eliminating one viable opponent for Alvarez.

Then in November, Jermall failed to impress in a decision win against Jose Benavidez Jr. The bout was Charlo’s first in 29 months. It’s a big event any time Alvarez fights, but there was little commercial demand for a matchup with another Charlo after Jermell’s listless performance in September.

With an Alvarez-Charlo fight less appealing for May, the door opened for what promises to be a far more lucrative matchup with Munguia. Alvarez has been the sport’s top attraction since Floyd Mayweather Jr. retired in 2017.

The all-time great’s résumé includes a pair of wins over Gennadiy Golovkin and titles in four weight classes. His win over Charlo was preceded by a decision victory over Ryder in May in Mexico. Alvarez scored knockdowns in both fights.

The biggest potential fight out there for Alvarez remains a matchup against rising star David Benavidez.

“The reason why this fight is not happening is because Alvarez doesn’t want it to happen, plain and simple,” David Benavidez told ESPN last week.

PBC’s stable also includes star boxer Gervonta Davis, who is set to return vs. Frank Martin this summer. PBC’s first event with Prime Video will take place March 30 in Las Vegas, a pay-per-view headlined by Keith Thurman vs. Tim Tszyu.

Canelo Alvarez Parts Ways with Premier Boxing Champions

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Canelo Alvarez has made an unexpected departure…

The 33-year-old Mexican professional boxer, one of the sport’s top stars, and Premier Boxing Champions have mutually agreed to part ways with two fights remaining on Alvarez’s three-fight deal signed in June, per ESPN.

Alvarez, ESPN’s No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer, defeated Jermell Charlo via unanimous decision in September to retain his undisputed super middleweight championship. That was the first fight of Alvarez’s PBC partnership.

The pact called for Alvarez to fight Charlo’s twin brother, Jermall, on May 4.

However, Canelo and PBC couldn’t agree to terms for the matchup on Cinco de Mayo weekend sources said, which allowed Alvarez contractually to explore other options going forward.

The third fight of the deal was set to take place against a mutually-agreed-upon opponent, sources said.

An Alvarez-Jermall Charlo event would have struggled to generate the sort of business that Canelo is used to. After all, Jermell put up a listless performance vs. Alvarez and never threatened to win the fight, killing any brotherly revenge angle.

Jermall didn’t help himself, either. In November, he failed to impress against Jose Benavidez Jr., a natural welterweight. The bout was Jermall Charlo’s first in 29 months as he dealt with personal issues.

It’s a big event anytime Alvarez fights, but there’s little commercial demand for a matchup with another Charlo. Jermell Charlo also didn’t appear at his brother’s comeback bout as Jermall said the relationship was fractured.

Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) will look for a new opponent and promotional partner for May 4 and beyond. Edgar Berlanga‘s manager, Keith Connolly, told ESPN on Sunday that he’s had preliminary talks with Eddie Hearn regarding a Canelo-Berlanga fight in 2024.

Connolly said Berlanga would be ready to fight Canelo as early as May 4 after last night’s sixth-round TKO win over Padraig McCrory in Orlando, Florida.

Another option for Alvarez is fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia, who scored a career-best win last month with a ninth-round stoppage of John Ryder. Alvarez could end up fighting Berlanga in May and Munguia in September.

There’s significant public demand for Alvarez, 33, to fight David Benavidez, who’s with PBC, or even Terence Crawford, but so far Canelo hasn’t shown interest. Regardless, his legacy is secure.

The all-time great’s résumé includes a pair of wins over Gennadiy Golovkin and titles in five weight classes.

His win over Charlo was preceded by a decision victory over Ryder in May in Mexico. Alvarez scored knockdowns in both fights.

PBC’s stable is led by star boxer Gervonta Davis, who is set to return vs. Frank Martin this summer. PBC’s first event with Amazon‘s Prime Video will take place March 30 in Las Vegas, a PPV headlined by rising star Tim Tszyu against Keith Thurman.

Crawford signed a one-fight deal with PBC to meet Errol Spence last July, and after “Bud” won the undisputed welterweight championship, Spence exercised the rematch clause.

However, Spence underwent cataract surgery in January and the scheduling window provided by the rematch clause has since expired, meaning Crawford, like Canelo, is also a network and promotional free agent.

David Benavidez Stops Demetrius Andrade

Posted on November 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

David Benavidez remains undefeated…

In another thrilling performance, the 26-year-old Mexican-American professional boxer defeated Demetrius Andrade when Andrade’s corner stopped the super middleweight bout after the sixth round on Saturday night at Mandalay Bay.

Immediately after, Benavidez was warmly greeted by boxing legend Mike Tyson.

“I just told Mike Tyson that I love him and thank you so much for the motivation he’s given me,” said Benavidez, ESPN‘s No. 2 boxer at 168 pounds. “It’s not every day a boxing legend like Mike Tyson gives people nicknames, so I just want to live up to my name.”

It’s Tyson who bestowed Benavidez with the moniker “The Mexican Monster,” and Benavidez more than lived up to it Saturday night.

Andrade, a former two-division champion, was boxing well until Benavidez floored him in the closing seconds of Round 4 with a right-handed haymaker.

Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) poured on the punishment the following round as he looked to finish off Andrade, who hung tough. Instead of trying to clinch, Andrade tried to fight his way out of the trouble.

Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) was able to land some effective combinations in Round 6. He snapped Benavidez’s head back with an uppercut, but moments later, Andrade was the one spitting out blood. Soon after the bell rang to end the round, the fight was over too.

“I think the first shot I caught him with was when I dipped his left hand and came back with a right hand, and that made a point,” said Benavidez, who fights out of Seattle. “And I knew I had to keep putting the pressure on him because he wasn’t going to keep taking those shots.

“Everybody says I’m not this, I’m not that, I’m flat-footed, I have no defense. This guy probably applied one of the best defenses. He’s really good offensively. He could barely even hit me, so I think that says a lot on its own.

“For Canelo [Alvarez] and everybody else, it just shows I’m not f—ing around.”

Undoubtedly, that’s the biggest matchup out there for boxing’s top star. Benavidez wanted a statement to create more demand for a fight with Alvarez, and he more than accomplished that against one of boxing’s most avoided fighters.

Andrade, 35, who won his first title at 154 pounds, attempted to bully the bigger man early on and found success. He rehydrated to 190 pounds, according to Victor Conte, who oversaw his training and nutrition program.

When Andrade muscled Benavidez into the ropes, it was effective. He connected on right hands to the body and was able to stymie Benavidez from rolling downhill. Andrade even won the first two rounds on all three scorecards. But by the end of Round 3, Benavidez began to find his footing.

After he floored Andrade late in the fourth round, he stunned his foe again with a powerful left hook. Benavidez unloaded with combinations as he stalked his opponent, but Andrade showed serious grit by standing in the pocket and trading.

“I thought, overall, I did everything I needed to do to get the bigger man off me,” said Andrade, who made his 168-pound debut in January and somehow had never faced a current or former champion before Saturday. “David’s definitely a hell of a fighter. Nobody was even willing to get in the ring with him.”

Andrade added: “I have to go back to the drawing board and work on my body a little more. Then I’ll be right back at it.”

Benavidez, on the other hand, is just getting started. Coming off a career-best performance in March with a pain-inflicting unanimous-decision win over Caleb Plant, Benavidez topped that effort with this six-round beating of Andrade.

He is on the short list for fighter of the year honors, but Benavidez has far loftier goals.

Already, he is a two-time champion, belts he never lost inside the ring. First, he was stripped of his title for a positive cocaine test and then again for missing weight.

But that’s in the past. He is hitting his stride in the prime of his career, and his star is growing brighter with each effort.

Now, Benavidez needs the only matchup that matters in order for him to realize his dreams, and that’s a crack at an all-time great in Alvarez, by far the sport’s No. 1 attraction.

“I’m going to be the greatest of my generation by the time I’m done here,” Benavidez said. “I love getting hit and I love hitting back. … Welcome to the David Benavidez era.”

David Benavidez Finalizing Deal for Super Middleweight Bout vs. Demetrius Andrade

Posted on August 9, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

David Benavidez is thisclose to heading back to the ring…

The 26-year-old Mexican-Ecuadorian-Dominican American professional boxer, a two-time WBC super middleweight champion, is finalizing a deal to fight Demetrius Andrade in a super middleweight bout this fall in Las Vegas.

The battle of former champions will be a pay-per-view event, according to ESPN sources.

Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) scored a career-best win in March, a unanimous-decision victory over Caleb Plant. Fighting out of Seattle, he’s ESPN‘s No. 2 super middleweight after undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez.

Benavidez lost his belt outside the ring on both occasions (positive test for cocaine before he later missed weight).

The volume puncher, known as “The Mexican Monster,” is hoping for a showdown with Alvarez next year. But first, Benavidez will face a slick boxer for the second consecutive fight when he meets Andrade.

A former champion at 154 and 160 pounds, Andrade (32-0, 19 KOs) will finally land the big fight he’s sought at age 35. Long avoided for his defensive prowess and boxing skills, Andrade moved up to 168 pounds in January with a shutout decision win over journeyman Demond Nicholson.

Andrade, a Providence, R.I., native, has never faced an elite opponent. He’ll step up in class when he meets Benavidez in a matchup that could propel the winner to a showdown with Alvarez.

Andrade is ESPN’s No. 8 super middleweight.

David Benavidez Beats Caleb Plant by Unanimous Decision

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

David Benavidez is celebrating the biggest win of his career…

The 26-year-old Mexican, Ecuadorian & Dominican American professional boxer logged a unanimous decision victory over Caleb Plant on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Plant jumped out to an early lead on the strength of his jab and movement in the large, 22-by-22 ring, but Benavidez was able to hurt his opponent on several occasions.

Benavidez’s nonstop pressure wore down Plant over the second half of the super middleweight fight, and Benavidez prevailed by scores of 115-113, 116-112 and 117-111.

“I want to give a big shout to Caleb Plant,” said Benavidez, ESPN’s No. 2 super middleweight. “We fought like warriors in the ring, and this guy’s a f—ing helluva fighter. … I showed defense, head movement … and cut the ring really good. I hit him with a lot of hard shots.”

Benavidez also called out Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed champion at 168 pounds.

Alvarez, boxing’s top star, is set to defend his four super middleweight titles against John Ryder on May 6 in Mexico — but Alvarez always fights on Mexican Independence Day weekend in September too.

Alvarez has been calling for a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, who defeated Alvarez in May, but Benavidez has now made his case too.

“I have a lot of respect for Canelo Alvarez, but he has to give me that shot now,” he said. “That’s what everybody wants to see in September. … I don’t think he’s trying to avoid me; I just believe he has a lot of options.”

Plant, who lost his title to Alvarez via 11th-round stoppage in November 2021 for his lone previous defeat, showed off his impressive jab and footwork from the opening bell. The 30-year-old Tennessee native who fights out of Las Vegas was able to keep the larger, longer Benavidez at bay with the lead hand.

Every time Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) was able to pin Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) on the ropes, Plant was wise to spin off to evade danger. When Benavidez worked his way onto the inside, Plant held each and every time.

The tactic was smartly deployed, and veteran referee Kenny Bayless surprisingly allowed Plant to clinch without much warning. Hall of Fame boxer Oscar De La Hoya quipped on Twitter afterward that Benavidez was fighting two men in the ring.

“Kenny Bayless is a helluva referee, but he didn’t give Plant any warnings,” Benavidez said.

“I had to find a way to work around it,” he added.

Plant, ESPN’s No. 3 super middleweight, continued to pile up rounds during the first half on the strength of his jab and distance control, but eventually, Benavidez’s pressure broke through.

Benavidez, a Phoenix native who fights out of Seattle, appeared to sweep the second half of the fight. He buckled Plant with a chopping right hand in Round 8 that sent the former champion stumbling. However, Bayless quickly halted the action after a clash of heads left Plant with a vertical gash in the middle of his forehead that bled for the remainder of the fight.

Benavidez, who is nicknamed “Mexican Monster,” started to mix in body shots and a jab to go along with his best punch, the left hook. Under duress from Benavidez’s pressure and thudding shots, Plant’s jab mostly disappeared.

And again in Round 10, Benavidez had Plant in trouble, this time from a series of left hooks that forced Plant to desperately hold on.

Benavidez continued to push for the stoppage of his rival in the penultimate round — a bundle of left hands and chopping rights wobbled Plant’s legs — but Plant never tasted the canvas. He showed tremendous heart throughout the bout, just as he did against Alvarez, and made it to the final bell while still exchanging.

“David’s a helluva fighter,” said Plant, who scored a spectacular KO of former titleholder Anthony Dirrell in October. “It’s a big rivalry, but we got in here and settled it like men. … I’ve got in there and I’ve rumbled with the best in the world; I haven’t ducked anybody.”

“There’s no excuse,” Plant added. “David was the better man tonight.”

Now, Benavidez will wait to see what happens between Alvarez and Ryder in May while hoping for his own shot against boxing’s most bankable fighter.

Benavidez has twice held a super middleweight title and both times lost it outside the ring.

He was stripped by the WBC in 2018 following a positive test for cocaine. After he regained the title, Benavidez was forced to relinquish it in 2020 after he failed to make 168 pounds.

David Benavidez to Fight Caleb Plant in Las Vegas This March

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

David Benavidez is heading back to the ring in March…

The 26-year-old Mexican and Ecuadorian American professional boxer, a two-time WBC super middleweight champion, will meet Caleb Plant in a long-awaited fight on March 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, according to ESPN.

The 168-pound bout will be a PBC on Showtime PPV.

Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) and Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) both announced in November that they struck a deal for the grudge match. They’ve traded plenty of barbs in both directions, and it all leads to a fascinating clash of styles.

Benavidez is a volume-punching pressure fighter who’s been among boxing’s most avoided fighters.

Plant, 30, is a stick-and-move boxer whose only defeat came last November in an 11th-round TKO loss to Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion. But after Alvarez, Benavidez and Plant are widely considered the two best fighters who campaign at 168 pounds (Benavidez is ESPN’s No. 2 super middleweight; Plant is No. 3).

“You can’t hide from me anymore, I’ll see you soon,” Benavidez wrote on Instagram in November.

“I went and made it happen,” Plant wrote. “Contract signed. See you early next year.”

Benavidez was slated to meet Jose Uzcategui in January before the fight was scrapped. The Phoenix-born boxer twice held a super middleweight title but both times lost his belt outside the ring.

First, a positive test for cocaine in 2018 led to him being stripped. Benavidez regained the title with a ninth-round KO of Anthony Dirrell in 2019 but was forced to relinquish his belt the following year when he failed to make weight.

Most recently, Benavidez scored a third-round TKO of former middleweight titleholder David Lemieux in May.

Plant, who fights out of Las Vegas, won the IBF super middleweight title in 2019 with a unanimous decision victory over Uzcategui. He made three successful defenses before he lost the belt in the undisputed championship fight against Alvarez.

Plant rebounded last month with a spectacular ninth-round KO of Dirrell.

David Benavidez Agrees to Fight Caleb Plant in Early 2023

Posted on November 3, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

David Benavidez is headed back to the ring for a highly anticipated bout…

The 25-year-old Mexican and Ecuadorian American boxer and Caleb Plant, both former super middleweight titleholders, have announced that they’ve struck a deal for a long-awaited fight.

The 168-pound bout will be presented by Premier Boxing Champions on pay-per-view in the first quarter of 2023, according to ESPN.

Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) and Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) have circled each other for years with plenty of barbs in both directions. Besides a genuine grudge, Benavidez-Plant is a fascinating clash of styles.

Benavidez is a volume-punching pressure fighter who’s been among boxing’s most avoided fighters.

Plant, 30, is a stick-and-move boxer whose only defeat came last November in an 11th-round TKO loss to Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion.

But after Alvarez, Benavidez and Plant are widely considered the two best fighters who campaign at 168 pounds (Benavidez is ESPN’s No. 2 super middleweight; Plant is No. 3).

“You can’t hide from me anymore, I’ll see you soon,” Benavidez wrote on Instagram.

“I went and made it happen,” Plant wrote. “Contract signed. See you early next year.”

Benavidez was slated to meet Jose Uzcategui in January before the fight was scrapped. The Phoenix-born boxer twice held a super middleweight title but both times lost his belt outside the ring.

Most recently, Benavidez scored a third-round TKO of former middleweight titleholder David Lemieux in May.

Plant, who fights out of Las Vegas, won the IBF super middleweight title in 2019 with a unanimous decision victory over Uzcategui. He made three successful defenses before he lost the belt in the undisputed championship fight against Alvarez.

Plant rebounded last month with a spectacular ninth-round KO of Dirrell.

David Benavidez in Final Talks to Fight Jose Uzcategui in Super Middleweight Bout

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

David Benavidez is nearing a deal to return to the ring…

The 25-year-old Mexican and Ecuadorian American professional boxer, a two-time WBC super middleweight champion is finalizing a deal with Jose Uzcategui for a super middleweight bout slated for January, according to ESPN.

The pair were set to square off in November 2021 before Uzcategui tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug rEPO (recombinant erythropoietin), a synthetic version of EPO. Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) instead faced Kyrone Davis and scored a seventh-round stoppage.

Benavidez went on to defeat former middleweight titleholder David Lemieux via third-round TKO in May, but the marquee matchups continue to elude Benavidez, perhaps boxing’s most avoided fighter.

He has called for a fight with boxing’s top star, Canelo Alvarez, along with bouts against fellow PBC boxers Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo.

With a win over Uzcategui, Benavidez will remain in prime position for one of those matchups.

ESPN‘s No. 2 boxer at 168 pounds, Benavidez is feared for good reason. He’s over 6 feet tall, throws a seemingly endless amount of punches and does so with tremendous power.

He twice held a super middleweight title but both times lost his title outside the ring. First, a positive cocaine test led to him being stripped. Benavidez regained the title with a ninth-round KO of Anthony Dirrell in 2019 but was forced to relinquish his belt the following year when he failed to make weight.

Benavidez will look to continue his impressive string of stoppage victories against Uzcategui, a former super middleweight titleholder. A Venezuelan boxer who fights out of Mexico, Uzcategui (32-4, 26 KOs) has fought once since the revelation of the banned substance, a second-round KO of journeyman Felipe Romero in May.

The 31-year-old’s career-best victory remains an eighth-round TKO of former titleholder Andre Dirrell in 2018. Uzcategui went on to lose his title to Caleb Plant via decision in 2019. Two fights later, Uzcategui dropped a decision to Lionel Thompson in an upset.

Now, he’ll head into a fight with Benavidez as a major underdog against the backdrop of his failed drug test last year.

“EPO is possibly the most powerful PED that can be used by a boxer,” Victor Conte, the founder of Balco, told ESPN last year after news broke of Uzcategui’s adverse finding. Conte served time in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute performance-enhancing drugs before founding SNAC, a sports nutrition company.

“It increases oxygen uptake and utilization which drastically improves stamina and endurance,” he said. “Some have described the benefits to making an athlete like a machine.”

Danny Garcia Agrees to Fight Jose Benavidez Jr. in Junior Middleweight Bout

Posted on June 1, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Garcia is preparing to chase down a title in a third weight class.

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican boxer, a former two-division champion, has agreed to fight Jose Benavidez Jr. in a junior middleweight bout on July 30 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, according to ESPN.

The PBC on Showtime main event will mark Garcia’s debut at 154 pounds after he captured titles at 140 and 147.

The Philadelphian fighter hasn’t boxed since a December 2020 loss to Errol Spence Jr. in a welterweight title fight. The 19-month layoff is the longest of Garcia’s career.

Garcia (36-3, 21 KOs) was a unified junior welterweight champion who owns wins over Lucas Matthysse, Amir Khan, Zab Judah and Erik Morales. His other two losses came against Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman in 147-pound title fights.

Benavidez (27-1-1, 18 KOs) suffered the lone loss of his pro career in 2018, a 12th-round TKO loss to Terence Crawford in a 147-pound title fight. The 30-year-old from Phoenix has competed only once since then, a November draw with the unheralded Francisco Emanuel Torres.

The brother of former super middleweight champion David Benavidez, Jose was still dealing with the effects of a gunshot wound to his right leg suffered in August 2016 when he fought Crawford.

David Benavidez Returning to Ring to Fight Ronald Ellis in March

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

David Benavidez is ready to get back in the ring…

The 24-year-old Mexican & Ecuadorean American boxer, a former WBC super middleweight titleholder, says he’ll return to the ring on March 13 against Ronald Ellis.

The location of the fight is still being finalized, but an ESPN source says it’ll most likely happen in Connecticut as a main event of Showtime Championship Boxing.

Benavidez currently is in the middle of training camp in Big Bear, California, with his team, including strength and conditioning coach Cem Eren.

“We’ve been in training camp for about six or seven weeks already,” Benavidez told ESPN on Tuesday. “We’ve got another six weeks left, so we’ve been working extremely hard.

“I want to give a great performance; that’s why I came to camp a little bit earlier so by the time the camp ends, we’re going to have at least 13-14 weeks done.”

Ellis (18-1, 12 KOs) enters the bout with two straight wins after his majority decision loss to DeAndre Ware in 2019.

Benavidez (23-0, 20 KOs) last entered the ring on August 15, 2020, where he won a one-sided 10th-round TKO victory over Roamer Alexis Angulo. However, he lost his WBC super middleweight title on the scales after being nearly three pounds over the 168-pound limit at the weigh-in.

His goal is to take on the top fighters in the division, such as Caleb Plant.

“I would definitely love that fight, but my mindset right now is I just want any of the top fighters at 168. I feel like I’ve been here,” Benavidez said. “I’ve been two-time world champion, I’ve been in the division and I’ve been doing exactly what I have to do for years and years so I feel like I deserve any of those top fights with those top guys.

“And also, just for the fans. I feel like the fans, we deserve it to the fans to give them the best of the best.”

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