David Benavidez hometown fight against former champ Jose Uzcategui rescheduled
Two-time WBC world super middleweight champion David Benavidez (24-0, 21 KOs) will face former 168-pound champ Jose Uzcategui (31-4, 26 KOs) on November 13 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The match will be a WBC super middleweight world title eliminator and will air on SHOWTIME. They were originally going to fight on August 28. However, the bout was postponed after Benavidez tested positive for COVID-19.
Benavidez is the wildcard of the super middleweight division. He’s arguably the biggest threat to the kingpin of the division, “Canelo” Alvarez. However, the 24-year-old from Phoenix has been his own worst enemy. Fighting in his hometown, the fighter nicknamed “El Bandera” is looking to not only win and move one step closer to a world title shot. He wants to quiet his critics.
Uzcategui is hungry to win another world title. In March of 2018, the product of El Vigia, Venezuela scored a 9th round stoppage over Andre Dirrell. The win would net him the IBF ‘interim’ world 168-pound title. However, his reign was short on time. After being elevated to full champion, he lost the belt in his first defense, losing to Caleb Plant in January 2019.
Two fights later, he lost by decision to Lionell Thompson, a fighter not considered an elite of the division. He would rebound with two straight victories and claims to be fighting with renewed hunger. The winner of Benavidez-Uzcategui will look to challenge the winner of the upcoming showdown between WBC/WBA ‘super’/WBO world middleweight champion Alvarez and IBF champion Plant.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
