Avila Perspective, Chap. 101: David Benavidez and More

WBC super middleweight titlist David Benavidez was stripped of the title after failing to make weight. He was more than two pounds over the limit.

Still, the world title fight will go on but only Roamer Alexis Angulo is eligible to win the title.

It’s one of boxing’s most attractive divisions, the 168-pound super middleweight division, and the battle between Benavidez (22-0, 19 KOs) and Angulo (26-1, 22 KOs) on Saturday Aug. 15, at Mohegan Sun Casino, was expected to be a tantalizing treat. Showtime will televise.

This is the second time that Benavidez loses the title on the scale. Two years ago, the same thing happened. But this time, the coronavirus could have a little to do with it.

Benavidez, who fights for Premier Boxing Champions, wants to stay in this weight class because it happens to be ready to explode into a profitable market with several marquee fighters inhabiting the division.

He needs to maintain his place in line by defeating the veteran Colombian Angulo.

“I feel like this is just the beginning for me. I want to be a unified champion and be known as the best super middleweight of my generation. I have time on my side and I’m hungry and competitive. The sky’s the limit for me,” said Benavidez, 23, who is originally from Phoenix, Arizona.

Angulo, 36, is making his second attempt at a world title. He fell short against Mexico’s Gilberto Ramirez who holds the WBO version. In his last fight, he upset undefeated Anthony Sims to win by split decision. That victory led him to this title shot.

“When I fought Anthony Sims Jr., he was a good fighter, but Benavidez is on another level in the boxing game. I’m going to show people that I belong on the same level as Benavidez,” said Angulo whose last fight was January in Miami. “Benavidez is a warrior, but I don’t see him having any big advantages over me. In my only pro loss to Gilberto Ramirez, it was really just the experience factor. The biggest change for me since that fight is more personal, and just my mindset. I’m just stronger now, emotionally too. That’s the biggest change I’ve experienced.”

One primary reason super middleweights are so intriguing is due to Mexico’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, who is the number one money-maker in prizefighting. All eyes are riveted in the 168-pound weight division now.

Benavidez has mentioned Canelo as his ultimate goal. First Angulo, then a crack at another super middleweight titlist who happens to have the same promoter as he.

“I want to fight (IBF Super Middleweight Champion) Caleb Plant next. All the super middleweight champions have to take risks and fight each other. I want those other belts. I want to take the chances now and show everybody, including myself, that I’m the best,” said Benavidez. “I feel like this is just the beginning for me. I want to be a unified champion and be known as the best super middleweight of my generation. I have time on my side and I’m hungry and competitive. The sky’s the limit for me.”

Suddenly the super middleweights have become a marquee weight class.

On the same fight card are heavyweights Otto Wallin (20-1) and Travis Kauffman (32-3) in a 10-round bout. Wallin is the heavyweight who gave Tyson Fury all he could handle. Kauffman is also a thorn for heavyweight contenders. It’s a very interesting match.

Another worth watching is lightweight Rollie Romero (11-0, 10 KOs) a speedy puncher facing Jackson Martinez (19-0, 7 KOs) for an interim title. Romero fights under the Mayweather Promotions banner and has been talked about for years. Martinez is a Dominican fighter training at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy so he should be more than ready working with those monsters in Riverside, California. Showtime will televise.

London, England

Early in the day, lightweights and featherweights lead the way including former two-division world champion Carl Frampton meeting Darren Traynor in a lightweight scrap while Michael Conlan fights Sofiane Takoucht in a featherweight match. Both fights take place in London without fans and will be televised by ESPN+ at 1 p.m. PT.

Frampton is campaigning at super featherweight but took this fight against a lightweight to stay busy.

“Although I’m short in stature, I walk around about 150, 148 anyway. {Traynor} is probably doing me a favor as well,” said Frampton, adding that he hopes to face world titlist Jamel Herring in the near future.

Oklahoma, USA

One of the top female fights of the year takes place as undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus (36-0, 9 KOs) meeting super lightweight world champion Jessica McCaskill (8-2, 3 KOs) for the WBA, IBF, WBO and WBC welterweight world titles on Saturday Aug. 15. DAZN will show this welterweight clash set at 145-pound limit at 5 p.m. PT.

The winner of this fight is targeted to meet the winner between Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon who fight in a rematch on August 22 in England.

In women’s boxing it does not get bigger than this.

Braekhus has extra incentive: breaking a record of 25 consecutive world title defenses currently held by her and legendary heavyweight champion Joe “the Brown Bomber” Louis.

“I try not to focus on the record, I focus on my task in camp, but you know it would be huge. That’s a record that won’t be broken in quite a while,” said Braekhus.

McCaskill knows a victory over Braekhus puts her in lofty territory both financially and historically.

“Cecilia has an amazing record, history that she has created, but some of that history is before this era and it can be seen differently compared to the fighters in this era,” said McCaskill adding that today’s fighters are better and tougher in the last four years. “I’m here to challenge everything she has put on the table.”

It’s almost guaranteed to be one of the Fight of the Year candidates. Trust me.

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