David Benavidez vs. Kyrone Davis: Fight prediction, card, odds, start time, how to watch
CBSN
The former WBC super middleweight champion gets a chance to potentially earn a shot at Canelo Alvarez with a win
Showcase fights don't get much bigger for the "A-side" than David Benavidez's fight with Kyrone Davis, which takes place Saturday night and airs live on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET. With a win, Benavidez could earn a fight against the biggest star in boxing, lined up as potentially the last super middleweight who could challenge undisputed champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. David Benavidez -3000 Kyrone Davis +1300 Super middleweight Jose Benavidez Jr. Francisco Emanuel Torres Super welterweight Rock Dodler Myrthil Ladarius Miller Super lightweight Jonathan Javier Fierro Victor Ruiz Super featherweight Keenan Carbajal Josean Figueroa-Bonilla Featherweight Elijah Lorenzo Garcia Todd Manuel Super welterweight Jesus Abel Ibarra Hector Ruben Ambriz Suarez Super lightweight Farid Ngoga Isaac Freeman Super welterweight Micky Scala Martez Jackson Super welterweight
Benavidez (24-0, 21 KO) was originally lined up for a fight with Jose Uzcategui, which Benavidez would have entered as a heavy favorite, but Uzcategui failed a drug test and Davis got the call to step in on short notice, replacing one opponent Benavidez was expected to run through with another.
Benavidez, a big, strong, heavy-handed fighter, may well have already scored a fight with Canelo had he been able to stay out of his own way. His first reign as WBC super middleweight champion came to an end in September 2018 after he tested positive for cocaine. A second run with the same title came to an end in August 2020 when Benavidez missed weight ahead of a title defense against Alexis Angulo. Maintaining his championship status would have put Benavidez directly in Canelo's path as the Mexican superstar was on his way to unify all four world titles at 168 pounds.