On the day of the kickoff press conference for his March 25 grudge match with Caleb Plant, the 26-year-old two-time former WBC 168 lb. champ sat down with media to talk all things Plant-Benavidez.
“When I see it in my head, I see it a couple of ways. I see body shots, combinations, and I see him giving up himself,” Benavidez told reporters on a video posted at Fight Hub TV.
“There’s a lot of possibilities about how I can do it. We’re going to continue to work hard, but the thing that’s guaranteed is that I’m going to knock him out.
“When I was young, I didn’t have an amateur career. My amateur career was sparring top champions. I started with Kelly Pavlik, Golovkin, Zurdo Ramirez. I spent four years going back to Big Bear sparring with Golovkin.
“So I feel that’s what made me what I am now because the sparring sessions with him weren’t sparring sessions. It was let’s see who gets knocked out. We’re going at it all the time. Imagine sparring Golovkin at 15 all the way to 19. You’re going to have a lot of confidence in yourself.
“It’s just that and the way I fight. I know my spirit. There’s no taking it down. I feel like if somebody hits me once, I’ve got to come back with three shots. March 25th has taken a long time, but I’m finally here, and I’m definitely not going to disappoint you guys. This is going to be one of the fights of the year and the knockout of the year.
“I know exactly what to do. He’s been knocked out, and I know I can knock him out. I’ve hurt everybody I’ve been in the ring with in sparring and in fighting since I was 13 years old, and this is no different.
“I’m a Mexican Monster. This is how I fought my whole life. I go in there, and I put beatings on people since I was a young kid until now. Nothing has ever changed.
“I’m excited. This is my moment…I’m going to be the best David Benavidez on March 25th. This isn’t my persona all the time, but sometimes you’ve got to take yourself to that place, and it’s a little scary.”
When asked about Plant’s jabs regarding him testing positive for cocaine in the past, Benavidez insisted that it didn’t mean much.
“It doesn’t irritate me at all. It happened. I’m not going to lie and say it didn’t happen,” Benavidez said.
“That happened years and years ago. I’m comfortable with people trying to throw that in my face, making it seem like that’s what I still am. I’m not. If that’s what you think, I’m a flat-footed fighter; I’m an undisciplined fighter; I’m a drug addict.
“You can think whatever you want. When I get your a** in the ring, no matter who it is, you’re not going to be thinking that after the fight.
When asked about what may be the most troubling aspect of Plant’s game, the undefeated battler pointed to the former IBF champ’s movement and ability to box.
“[His] moving around the ring,” Benavidez told reporters. “He throws good combinations, so I’m going to have to time him, and I’m going to have to cut the ring off a lot.
“He’s definitely going to box. As soon as he feels the power, he’s going to start running even more.
When asked about Plant’s KO of the Year-level stoppage of Anthony Dirrell in October, Benavidez was nonplussed.
I wasn’t impressed,” Benavidez said. “He was getting booed in the fight. When have you seen me booed in my fights?
“It was a good knockout, but he was getting touched a lot. I know if I put hands on him like that, he’s not getting up. He’s a good boxer; he’s got good defense, he’s got good speed.
“I wouldn’t want to fight a fighter that sucks. We’re here for a reason. He’s a good fighter. He put a great fight against Canelo. I know he’s going to come prepared. I’m coming prepared too, and once that pressure is put on, the best comes out of me.”
Plant and Benavidez do battle March 25 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, atop a Showtime PPV/Premier Boxing Champions event.
