By Norm Frauenheim
The beginning was ignited more than four years ago.
The echoes are still there.
David Benavidez’ December 5 return to where it started at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ was formally announced Thursday.
It’s a homecoming, a significant reunion of fighter and fans on an astonishing path from chubby kid off nearby Phoenix streets and onto a stage as a leading pound-for-pound contender.
Benavidez was interesting yet mostly unknown before he faced David Lemieux on May 21, 2022. But all of that changed within three intense rounds that ended in a violent stoppage of Lemieux, undersized and overmatched.
Suddenly, interest went viral.
Suddenly, Benavidez went from just another fighter into a force to be feared.
For anybody there, it was like witnessing spontaneous combustion.
The combustion continues, this time with Benavidez back and ambitious for more after six additional victories and two more titles, one at light-heavyweight and another at cruiserweight for the three-time champion.
He’s favored to further unify the cruiser title in a bid for a third belt held by Michal Cieslak, a Polish fighter who got the World Boxing Council’s version of the 200-pound belt through process instead of punches.
That’s another way of saying that Benavidez is expected to add a third piece to a title in his quest to add the fourth in a projected undisputed showdown with Australian Jai Opetaia next year, perhaps in an early May bout celebrating Cinco de Mayo.
That’s the plan, one introduced this week by Benavidez. He also says he has interest in former 175-pound champion Artur Beterbiev and retired undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, arguably the greatest cruiserweight in history.
“I’m excited to be fighting in Arizona once again,” Benavidez said in a statement announcing the card and ticket sales, scheduled to begin Friday. “It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally here. I’m gonna give the fans in my home state of Arizona a great performance.’’
Benavidez has become an Arizona draw without performing. Recent appearances throughout the Phoenix area have drawn estimated crowds of 5,000, many of whom stood in line during AZ’s triple-digit temps just for the chance at an autograph.
In part, his homecoming also represents a new chapter in his career. It’s his last fight in his promotional contract with Sampson Lewkowicz. He’s forming his own promotional company, however it’s not known if he’ll also sign with a another promotional entity.
There are signs that Zuffa has a strong interest. Zuffa, however, just released pound-for-pound contender Shakur Stevenson, who also says he’s creating his own promotional company.
Meanwhile, the PBC and Tom Brown-promoted card is already looking stacked.
After a year on the sidelines, Vergil Ortiz will be back in the semi-main event, this time as a middleweight against former welterweight champion Keith Thurman.
The card also is expected to feature popular Emiliano Vargas and Jesus Ramos, a middleweight interim champion from Casa Grande, south of Phoenix. As of Thursday, however, neither Vargas nor Ramos had an opponent.
Ramos, who will fight for only the second time in the Phoenix area, was forced to withdraw from a key bout in San Diego in late September because of food poisoning.
“I had some bad salmon,’’ Ramos said. “It was frustrating. But my team and my dad (and trainer) have always said we only fight if we’re 100 percent,
There are also plans for Elijah Garcia, an Arizona middle and super-middleweight , to fight on the card against unbeaten Irish super-middleweight Thomas O’Toole.
