Canelo Alvarez Defeats William Scull in Super Middleweight Title Fight to Become Undisputed 168-Pound Champion

Posted on May 3, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Canelo Alvarez remains an undisputed champion.

The Mexican boxer (63-2-2, 39 KOs) defeated William Scull in super middleweight title fight to become the undisputed 168-pound champion for the second time in his career.

Alvarez defeated Scull (23-1, 9 KOs) via decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

With the victory, Alvarez regained the IBF title that was stripped of him last year after he declined to face Scull.

Saturday’s win set up a highly anticipated matchup between Alvarez and Terence Crawford on September 12 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Crawford was in attendance on Saturday and immediately entered the ring to do a faceoff with Alvarez.

The end result was what the sport of boxing expected — and wanted — but it took a painful 12-round bout Saturday to make it official.

Scull, a 32-year-old from Cuba, spent most of the championship bout dancing around the perimeter, throwing half-hearted jabs with little weight behind them. Alvarez pursued Scull from bell to bell, but refused to aggressively open up more than necessary.

It turned into a very easy fight to score in Alvarez’s favor, but a difficult one to watch. Alvarez won via scores of 119-109, 116-112 and 115-113.

“I don’t like to fight those kinds of guys,” Alvarez said. “They came to just survive to the final round. That’s why I don’t like to fight them. It won’t be that kind of fight [against Crawford]. I hate that kind of fight. He moved even more than we thought. But it’s OK. We won. We’re here.”

By contrast, Alvarez said it will be his “pleasure” to square off against an action fighter like Crawford.

“I feel great. Crawford is one of the best out there, and, you know, I like to share the ring with that kind of fighter,” Alvarez said. “It’s my pleasure.”

Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) offered little analysis of Alvarez’s performance, only saying, “He did what he had to do to get the job done, for what was in front of him.”

Alvarez and Scull both received warnings for inactivity, but that didn’t stop it from being a historically slow affair. The two combined for 445 punches thrown, according to CompuBox. That is the fewest number of combined punches thrown in a 12-round fight in CompuBox’s 40-year history. They each landed an almost incomprehensibly low average of five punches per round.

Nevertheless, Alvarez’s offense clearly surpassed Scull’s, as he targeted Scull’s body with power punches. It extended Alvarez’s winning streak to six, all of which have gone the distance. He has not scored a knockout since an 11th-round finish of Caleb Plant in November 2021. Scull, who went into Saturday as the IBF champion, suffered the first defeat of his career.

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez Defeats Chris Billam-Smith to Become Unified World Cruiserweight Champion

Posted on November 17, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez has captured another belt…

The 33-year-old Mexican professional boxer, a two division world champion southpaw, cruised to a comfortable, unanimous decision over Chris Billam-Smith on Saturday to become the unified world cruiserweight champion.

Ramirez, a former world super middleweight champion, had boxed only twice before at 200 pounds, but he was technically too good for Billam-Smith at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ramirez earned scores of 116-112, 116-112 and 116-113 in a first defense of his WBA title while also capturing Billam-Smith’s WBO belt in a Riyadh Season “Latino Night” card.

Others will have viewed Ramirez a winner by a wider margin as Billam-Smith never looked like he’d ruin the promotion’s aim to be a celebration of Latino boxing talent.

Ramirez was too accurate and his movement too slick for Billam-Smith to get a foothold in the fight.

Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs), from Sinaloa, Mexico, made history by becoming Mexico’s first world champion at cruiserweight and his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy, has more ambitious plans for him.

Another unification is possible for Ramirez in 2025 against Australia’s IBF titleholder Jai Opetaia, who is No. 1 at cruiserweight in the latest ESPN’s rankings.

De La Hoya has talked about Ramirez becoming an undisputed champion, holding all four titles, and taking on reigning WBC-WBA-WBO world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk if the Ukrainian returns to cruiserweight next year.

“Of course, I want to unify all the belts and that’s a big goal for me,” Ramirez said.

Billam-Smith (20-2, 13 KOs), 34, from Bournemouth, England, suffered his second career defeat after showing immense courage to come firing back in the later rounds.

He made a sharp start to his third defense of the WBO belt as Ramirez briefly struggled with the Englishman’s intensity. Ramirez improved in Round 2, and he finished Round 3 with a decent left hook as he then took control of the fight.

The Mexican’s blows began to flow more freely and in Round 4 Ramirez landed his best punch yet, a right hand that briefly unsettled Billam-Smith and opened a cut on his left eyelid.

Ramirez, who won the WBA belt by unanimous decision versus Arsen Goulamirian in his previous fight in March, was also effective when the fight was at close range, and he threaded some punches through Billam-Smith’s guard in Round 6.

The ringside doctor was called to look at Billam-Smith’s cut before the start of Round 7. Billam-Smith was looking a sorry figure as Ramirez continued to land solid blows.

Billam-Smith rallied in Rounds 9 and 10, but he was caught by some stinging shots in the last two rounds as Ramirez left the Briton’s face covered in blood.

“Consistency was what won it for Zurdo tonight,” Billam-Smith said.

“He throws three or four shots and then moves. He’s consistent.”

Canelo Alvarez Routs Edgar Berlanga By Unanimous Decision to Retain Unified Super Middleweight Championship

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Canelo Alvarez is keeping his unified champion title…

The 34-year-old Mexican professional boxer, the sport’s top star, has retained his unified super middleweight championship after a unanimous decision victory over Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Alvarez floored Berlanga with a monstrous left hook — his money punch — in Round 3 and prevailed via scores of 117-110, 118-109 and 118-109. ESPN scored it a 120-107 shutout.

This was the fifth consecutive decision victory for Alvarez, who hasn’t scored a knockout win since he defeated Caleb Plant in November 2021. It’s also the fourth consecutive bout where Alvarez scored a knockdown.

“Now what are they gonna say?” Alvarez said during his postfight interview. “I fight younger fighters. They say I fight older fighters. They always talk. … My experience, my talent, my hard work, my intelligence, everything together [makes me the best]. If you have talent but you don’t have discipline, you have nothing.”

Alvarez, ESPN‘s No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer, is an all-time great. Berlanga, meanwhile, was fighting on the world-class level for the first time. Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) was a -1600 favorite, per ESPN BET, and a -250 favorite to earn the win inside the distance.

However, Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) rarely threw a power punch, clearly wary of presenting a counter-punching opportunity for one of the sport’s best at capitalizing on such openings. Following the knockdown, as Berlanga sat on the canvas and banged his gloves together, he entered survival mode.

Alvarez pressed forward and tried to close distance as Berlanga pumped his jab from out of range. While Berlanga was rugged on the inside and showed some toughness, he clearly wasn’t willing to sell out and risk becoming a knockout victim.

“I’m upset,” Berlanga said. “I fought a legend tonight. Hopefully this is the start today of me becoming a future legend. … I took his best shot, I believe, in the third round.”

The Brooklynite of Puerto Rican heritage began his career with 16 first-round knockouts, but as he stepped up in competition, his power dissipated.

Berlanga, 27, entered his first title shot on the heels of a sixth-round knockout victory over Padraig McCrory in February.

Alvarez, naturally, is several levels above such an opponent, and his wealth of experience showed. He was the far more comfortable fighter, though he was frustrated on occasion by Berlanga’s roughhouse tactics, as referee Harvey Dock warned the pair numerous times.

“Fighters like to throw each other off their games,” Berlanga said.

Alvarez was once again headlining on Mexican Independence Day weekend, one of two boxing holidays reserved for the sport’s top attraction. He wasn’t ready to discuss whom he wants to face when he eventually returns on Cinco De Mayo weekend.

In the lead-up to the bout, Alvarez told ESPN on Wednesday that he was interested in a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, who defeated him in May 2022 at 175 pounds. That’s provided that Bivol beats Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed light heavyweight championship Oct. 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Another option was ringside: Terence Crawford, the future Hall of Famer who remains undefeated. He made his 154-pound debut last month with a win over Israil Madrimov and told ESPN on Thursday that he would like to fight Alvarez at the full-fledged 168-pound limit with no rehydration clause.

“I think it would tell the No. 1 guy of this era in the post-Mayweather era, who’s the king of kings,” Crawford said.

Whomever Alvarez fights next, he will still be in search of his first knockout victory since November 2021, though he hasn’t lost many rounds in the process.

Alvarez said: “I’m the best fighter in the world.”

Canelo Alvarez Finalizing Deal to Defend Super Middleweight Title Against Edgar Berlanga

Posted on July 23, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Canelo Alvarez is lining up his next opponent.

The 34-year-old Mexican professional boxer, the sport’s top star, is finalizing a deal for a super middleweight championship defense versus Edgar Berlanga on September 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, per ESPN sources.

Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) is the undisputed champion at 168 pounds, but it’s possible the IBF title won’t be on the line as his mandatory defense is overdue, sources said.

Canelo-Berlanga will go head-to-head with UFC 306 — the first sporting event to be held at the Sphere, a revolutionary venue that opened in Las Vegas last September.

Alvarez, 34, is ESPN‘s No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer. The all-time great has also collected titles at 154, 160 and 175 pounds. He hasn’t scored a knockout since his win over Caleb Plant in November 2021, but he has scored knockdowns in each of his last three victories.

He’s won four consecutive bouts since a decision defeat to Dmitry Bivol at light heavyweight in May 2022.

Alvarez will be installed as a major favorite against Berlanga, who has never challenged for a world title nor competed on the world-class level.

Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) is a 27-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, of Puerto Rican descent. He’s coming off a sixth-round KO of Padraig McCrory in February. The brash fighter started his career with 16 first-round KOs, but his next five opponents lasted the distance as his competition stiffened.

Mexican Independence Day weekend has long been one of two holidays reserved for Alvarez (along with Cinco De Mayo weekend), a tradition that was held by Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya before him.

Alvarez missed his preferred Mexican Independence Day weekend fight last year when he defeated Jermell Charlo in late September, but now returns to the holiday he has headlined six times.

PBC will lead the event on Prime Video PPV with Matchroom Boxing involved as Berlanga’s promoter, sources said. The PPV will also be available on DAZN, Matchroom‘s streaming partner.

It will be Canelo’s third consecutive fight with PBC.

Saul “Canelo” Álvarez to Be Subject of Special Documentary by Unanimous Media

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Saul “Canelo” Álvarez’s life story will be getting the documentary treatment.

The 33-year-old Mexican professional boxer and global star with four division world championships, will be the focus on a special documentary by Unanimous Media.

Born on July 18, 1990, in Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico, Álvarez has captivated fans worldwide by representing his Mexican values and heritage with his amazing exploits in the ring.

The documentary will take an inside look at four division world champion and undisputed super middleweight champion of the world, icon of boxing, Saul “Canelo” Álvarez and his career-defining rivalry with fighter Triple G.

Alvarez will next fight against Jaime Munguia on Saturday, May 4 in Las Vegas

Stephen Curry & Erick Peyton will produce, while Karla Peraza De Diaz, Brian Testuro Ivie will serve as executive producers.

“We’re honored to have the opportunity to tell the story of Canelo Álvarez, someone we have immense admiration and respect for,” said Erick Peyton & Stephen Curry of Unanimous Media. “We look forward to pulling back the curtains for audiences on Canelo’s legendary career, experiencing the moments and accomplishments that have cemented him as one of the greatest boxers of all time.”

Founded by four-time NBA champion and two-time MVP Stephen Curry and multi-creative Erick Peyton in 2018, Unanimous Media is a multimedia company collaborating with underrepresented filmmakers, creators and writers across the entertainment industry. Unanimous Media aims to champion diverse voices and bringing a lens to narratives that need to be heard.

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez Looking to Make History in WBA Cruiserweight Title Fight Against Arsen Goulamirian

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez is looking to make history…

The 32-year-old Mexican professional boxer, who held the WBO super middleweight title from 2016 to 2019 and is the first boxer from Mexico to win a major world title in that weight class, will attempt to become the heaviest Mexican champion of all time when he challenges Armenia’s Arsen Goulamirian for the WBA cruiserweight title on Saturday in Inglewood, California.

Ramirez (27-0, 19 KOs) is a former 168-pound titleholder who will compete at the 200-pound limit for the first time as he looks to make history as the first Mexican champion above 175 pounds.

Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez, boxing’s top star, won a title at 175 in 2019 when he knocked out Sergey Kovalev.

But there has never been a Mexican-born champion at cruiserweight (200 pounds) or heavyweight (Andy Ruiz defeated Anthony Joshua for the unified heavyweight championship in 2019, but he’s a Mexican American boxer born and raised in Southern California).

“It’s something special because we never have [had] a Mexican [champion] that big,” Ramirez told ESPN. “… [A win] will be big for me, for all the fans in Mexico, for all the people. I think it’s history.”

Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs) suffered his first career defeat when he challenged light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol in November 2022. Afterward, Ramirez moved up to cruiserweight for a 193-pound catchweight decision win over Joe Smith in October.

The cruiserweight division has mostly been an afterthought in the U.S. since it was introduced in 1979. The legendary Evander Holyfield starred in the division as champion from 1986 to 1988 before he moved to heavyweight. And ever since, the cruiserweights have mostly been dormant stateside while being featured across Europe.

“We’ve never had a big, major rivalry or a big-name fighter at cruiserweight the way we’ve had with middleweights and heavyweights,” Ramirez’s promoter, Hall of Fame boxer Oscar De La Hoya, told ESPN. “So I think that weight class just kind of gets lost in the shuffle a bit. But I think Zurdo has an opportunity here … if he looks great.”

Ramirez, who is 6-foot-2½, said he walks around between 210 and 215 pounds and believes he will have more power in his new weight class. ESPN’s No. 6 cruiserweight, Ramirez is a -215 favorite to defeat Goulamirian, per ESPN BET.

Goulamirian (27-0, 19 KOs) hasn’t competed since November 2022 and is now being trained by Abel Sanchez, who built Gennadiy Golovkin into a star boxer.

Goulamirian has made three title defenses, and all but three of his bouts have taken place in France. “This is my first fight in [the] United States and I am planning to put on a show,” Goulamirian, 36, said through his new adviser, Sam Katkovski.

“Cruiserweight has not been a division [that’s] popular in [the] United States, but I plan on changing that on Saturday.”

Joel Iriarte, a 17-time national amateur champion, will make his professional debut on the DAZN undercard after he signed with De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions earlier this month.

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.

Gabriela Fundora to Defend IBF Flyweight Title Against Christina Cruz Next Month

Posted on December 25, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Gabriela Fundora is going on the defensive….

The 21-year-old Mexican American professional boxer has agreed to fight Christina Cruz for Fundora’s IBF flyweight title on January 27 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, according to ESPN.

The fight will be on the undercard of the Jaime Munguia–John Ryder super middleweight bout.

Fundora (12-0, 5 KOs) won the title by defeating Arely Mucino by fifth-round KO in October. Fundora, ESPN‘s No. 2 flyweight, scored two knockdowns in that fight, showcasing power and great technique.

The fighter from Coachella, California, also earned decision victories over Tania Garcia and Maria Micheo Santizo in 2023, after fighting five times in 2022. Fundora was expected to face WBC, WBO and WBA flyweight champion Marlen Esparza to crown an undisputed champion, but that fight will have to wait.

Fundora is trained by her father, Freddy Fundora, and is the younger sister of former junior middleweight interim champion Sebastian Fundora.

Cruz (6-0), of New York, is the IBF No. 5 ranked fighter in the division. She competed three times in 2023, all one-sided decision victories over Josefina Vega, Nancy Franco and Amy Salinas. She turned professional in 2021 after a long amateur career of more than 130 fights.

This is a big step up for Cruz on her first title fight. She’s never fought more than eight rounds, and her opponents have a combined record of 38 wins and 31 losses.

Jaime Munguia to Fight John Ryder in a Super Middleweight Bout in January

Posted on December 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jaime Munguia has secured his next opponent…

The 27-year-old Mexican professional boxer, who held the WBO junior middleweight title from 2018 to 2019, will meet John Ryder in a super middleweight bout on January 27 in Phoenix.

Munguia (42-0, 33 KOs), a native of Mexico, is coming off a career-best victory, a unanimous-decision win over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in June. Munguia scored a 12th-round knockdown to pull out the decision in a leading candidate for ESPN‘s Fight of the Year.

Now, Munguia will enter what shapes up as another slugfest.

England’s Ryder is coming off the biggest bout of his career, a spirited unanimous-decision loss to Canelo Alvarez in May.

Ryder (32-6, 18 KOs) was floored in Round 5 and suffered a broken nose against boxing’s top star but was able to land some effective blows down the stretch in Alvarez’s homecoming bout in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Munguia, ESPN‘s No. 6 boxer at 168 pounds, was a titleholder at 154 pounds and is hoping for his own crack at Alvarez next year.

Ryder, ESPN’s No. 4 super middleweight, defeated former champion Daniel Jacobs in 2022 in a career-best win.

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.”

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