Before last Saturday, all that prevented David Benavidez from claiming a spot in the pound-for-pound rankings was … David Benavidez. Maturity issues plagued the early years of Benavidez’s career, issues that cost him his world title (twice) and were roadblocks to the one fight (a showdown with Canelo Álvarez) that Benavidez craves.
After defeating Caleb Plant, Benavidez has officially arrived. He promised to punish Plant, a former titleholder whose rivalry with Benavidez had become deeply personal. And Benavidez did what promised, landing 180 power punches, per CompuBox, nearly tripling Plant’s total. After struggling to track Plant down early—Plant reportedly requested a larger than usual 22-by-22-foot ring—Benavidez dominated the second half of the fight, outlanding Plant 161–46 over the final six rounds en route to a wide decision win.
The win established Benavidez as the clear No. 1 contender to Álvarez, the undisputed super middleweight king, and Benavidez made clear that is the fight he wants next.
