Boxer David Benavidez, Named ‘Mexican Monster’ by Mike Tyson

 

Because of his fierce persona in the ring David Benavidez was nicknamed “The Mexican Monster” by Mike Tyson. David was born in Phoenix, Arizona on December 17, 1996 to a Mexican father and an Ecuadorian mother, he also is part Dominican by his grandfather on his mother’s side. His older brother, José Benavidez Jr. is also a professional boxer.

Both brothers are trained by their father, Jose Sr. David Benavidez, nicknamed “The Mexican Monster” by Mike Tyson has been making waves in the boxing world since he made his professional debut in August 2013.

Standing at a height of 6’2″ with a reach of 77 inches, Benavidez is known for his impressive, technical skills, speed and power-packed punches. Despite being a relatively young boxer, David has already managed to achieve a lot in his career, including winning two world championships.

However, there are still many things that people don’t know about him. In this article, we will take a closer look at some of the lesser-known facts about David Benavidez.

Growing Up:
Benavidez has been boxing since the age of three, following his older brother Jose Jr’s footsteps. The Benavidez brothers were introduced to boxing at a very young age by their father Jose Sr. who incredibly never boxed of trained fighters, but Sr. did put in the work and studied the sport religiously.

His commitment paid off, today he is a world class boxing trainer with two sons, trained by him who have become world champions.

When he was 15, Benavidez’s weight ballooned to 250 pounds, as he struggled with dieting and discipline.

“I stopped training for two years and ate everything — McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, I was on a strict fast-food diet,” Benavidez told the Los Angeles Times.

After returning to the gym, however, it was clear the young Benavidez had talent, as he was already sparring boxing legend Gennady Golovkin, who was in his prime at the time.

Golovkin’s trainer, Abel Sanchez, recalled the sparring session in an interview with The Ring, saying: “We saw him five years ago. He was 15 years old and he wanted to spar with Gennady.

We allowed him, and he actually held his own, which was impressive for a young kid going hard in sparring with a world Champion like Geneday Golovkin.

For the Benavidez family boxing is everything, that’s all they have been doing since birth, they are truly a boxing family. His father, Jose Benavidez Sr. has been training both sons since the beginning. Jose Jr. is also a professional boxer, with an impressive record of 27 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw.

David and Jose Jr. both turned pro at a young age, with David making his professional debut at the age of 16 and Jose Jr. at the age of 17. The Benavidez brothers have a close bond and often train together, with Jose Jr. serving as one of David’s sparring partners.

David Benavidez Holds the Record for Youngest Super Middleweight Champion:
David Benavidez made history when he won the WBC Super Middleweight Championship in September 2017, becoming the youngest super middleweight champion in boxing history.

He was just 20 years old at the time and had a record of 18 wins, 0 losses, and 0 draws. Benavidez defeated Ronald Gavril by a split decision in a hard-fought battle, with many experts praising his technical skills and power. Benavidez held the title for over a year before losing it due to a failed drug test.

Despite losing his title due to a failed recreational drug test drug test, David Benavidez still boasts a perfect record in the ring. He has fought 26 times, winning all of his bouts, with 23 of those wins coming by way of knockout.

Benavidez has faced some tough opponents throughout his career, including Ronald Gavril, Anthony Dirrell, and J’Leon Love, but he has managed to come out on top every time. His impressive record is a testament to his skill, dedication, and hard work.

David Benavidez – From Homeless to World Champion

Next fight:
David’s next fight is scheduled for March 25 Vs Caleb Plant (22-1-0, 13KO’s), the fight will be shown on Showtime Pay Per View.

Benavidez, who was on the chubby side as a child, says he still frequently gets mocked regarding his weight, including from Caleb Plant, the former 168-pound titlist from Nashville, Tennessee, who has often tried to make fun of his adversary by calling him “fat boy.”

Benavidez (26-0, 23 KO’s) and Plant (22-1-0, 13KO’s), will face each other in a highly anticipated 168-pound grudge match March 25 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and televised via pay-per-view on Showtime.

“I mean, I still deal with it to this day (being called fat),” Benavidez said during the first episode of Showtime’s All Access series. “Even Caleb Plant’s talking sh!t, saying ‘fat boy this, fat boy that.’ But, at the end of the day, if all these dudes are cut up, they’re all jacked up but they don’t have no f—ing knockouts.

“And then you go to the opposite side and you got someone that’s a fat boy, supposedly. He has 26 fights and he has 23 knockouts. So, you tell me who’s doing it right? I don’t care what people say.”

“At the end of the day, they say I’m fat, they say I’m this, they say I’m that, they say I’m not dedicated, but at the end of the day I’m doing my f—in’ job,”

“And when I get his ass in that ring on March 25th, I’m gonna break his f—in’ mouth. I’m gonna make him regret everything he said.” Benavidez said in an interview with Boxing Scene.