By Norm Frauenheim –
David Benavidez waited for weeks. He heard Canelo Alvarez say no, no and no all over again. He heard David Morrell say maybe later.
From Caleb Plant, he heard nothing.
Until Thursday.
Suddenly, the waiting game and all of its frustration ended. Plant announced on Twitter that he signed to fight Benavidez. It was a surprise, if only because Plant had quit talking about Benavidez.
For years, Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) and Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) exchanged trash talk. Then nothing, no mention at all of Benavidez from Plant after Plant’s stoppage of Anthony Dirrell on Oct. 15
The silence was almost newsworthy. It was as if Plant had joined the crowd that was running from Benavidez, boxing’s most avoided fighter since Antonio Margarito.
Turns out, however, the silence was simply business. Negotiations had been underway for at least a couple of weeks, in part because neither Benavidez nor his promoter-manager Sampson Lewkowicz wanted to fight Jose Uzcategui, who had already fallen out of a 2021 date because of a positive test for the potent steroid EPO.
Benavidez-Uzcategui talks had been reported. And perhaps that fight would have been an alternative if a deal couldn’t be made with Plant.
But it was also clear that Uzcategui was a fight that would have done nothing for Benavidez reputation. Nobody wanted to see it. Plus, there’s a risk in a stay-busy fight, especially against an opponent with a documented PED history.
The real talks were with Plant, the only fight that made any real sense for Benavidez and his emerging fan base. Benavidez quickly signed, according to his father and trainer Jose Benavidez Sr.
“David signed a few week ago,’’ Jose Sr. told 15 Rounds from Seattle where he and his sons have been living and training for the last few years.
Still, however, the unbeaten super-middleweight from Phoenix had to wait, wait on Plant. Finally, he signed Thursday.
“Plant wanted this, wanted that,’’ Benavidez Sr. said. “He wanted to use Rival gloves. He wanted the blue corner. He wanted to be the second guy to enter the ring. He wanted a 22-foot ring. I told him, look, we’ll fight you in a ring as big as the Dallas Cowboys stadium. Then, you’ll have plenty of room to run around.’’
Benavidez’ dad took the list of demands to his son.
“David just looked at me and said ‘Give him whatever he wants. I just want to fight him,’ ‘’ Jose Sr said.
Done deal.
It’s still not clear exactly when the fight will happen. Jose Sr. said a date within the first quarter of next year – January, February or March — looks likely. A neutral site is also likely. Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Dallas are possibilities, he said.
Phoenix is not on the list. After a hometown crowd erupted in a collective roar at Benavidez’ scary blowout of David Lemieux in suburban Glendale last May, it’s clear that the heartbeat of Benavidez’ fan-base is Phoenix. It would be tough for Plant to win a decision there.
It’s also a fan base that’s likely to follow Benavidez to where ever, whenever he fights Plant. The Benavidez family – David, former junior-welterweight champion Jose Jr. and Jose Sr. – are planning to move back to Phoenix.
“It’s time, time to come home,’’ Jose Sr. said.
Time, time to fight Plant, too.
