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By: Hans Themistode
A win over Jose Uzcategui is one that David Benavidez desperately wants. Not only because defeating a former world champion would bolster his resume but more than anything, a victory against Uzcategui would become a gateway to the one fight he craves the most.
“I definitely feel like whoever wins out of this fight, me and Uzcategui, deserves to fight the winner of Caleb Plant and Canelo,” said Benavidez during a recent interview with Brian Custer.
One week prior to his showdown against Uzcategui taking place at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on November 13th, Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant will lock horns. The two will square off on November 6th, at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada with all of the super-middleweight titles on the line.
While Benavidez would love nothing more than to face the winner of their contest, he refuses to get too enthralled in the particulars of their showdown. Before Benavidez can demand his own shot at the undisputed crown, the 24-year-old is placing all of his attention on the hard-hitting former champion, Uzcategui.
Up until recently, Uzcategui enjoyed being considered the boogeyman of the super middleweight division. His championship reign, however, proved to be transient as he was thoroughly outclassed by Plant during their January 2019 showdown. Since then, Uzcategui would surprisingly lose again, this time, to fringe contender Lionell Thompson.
Despite a few bumps in the road, Uzcategui has gotten back to his destructive ways, picking up back-to-back stoppage wins.
As for Benavidez, he’s continued to make short work of the competition. On March 13th, earlier this year, Benavidez picked up his fourth stoppage win in a row, dispatching Ronald Ellis in the 11th round.
If the Arizona product takes care of business against Uzcategui, especially in explosive fashion, it’ll be ostensible to Benavidez that the winner of Plant vs. Canelo will have no choice but to face him.
“I don’t see why he would go in another direction,” said Benavidez when asked if Canelo will face him if he’s victorious against Uzcategui. “This fight is for the WBC and IBF title eliminator. The winner of this fight has to fight Canelo. It’s not because people want to see it but because I earned the right. When I win this fight, they can’t just skip me.”
