Trainer Jose Benavidez Sr says his son David Benavidez will need to frequently adapt to the ever-changing things that Caleb Plant will throw at them on Saturday night on March 25th when they face the highly skilled, clever former IBF super middleweight champion in the main event on Showtime PPV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) has never gone up against anyone like this before, and it’s going to be problematic for him to try and figure out his style. The WBC interim 168-lb champion Benavidez doesn’t possess the fastest feet, which will make his job tough even more difficult than it already is.
Jose Sr is predicting an eighth round knockout for David, but he could be overlooking what Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) brings to the table.
Benavidez and Jose Jr both sounded like they were sick during Thursday’s press conference. It’s unclear whether they have a cold or if there is some congestion issue. If Benavidez is ill, he’s going to have a hard time on Saturday because he’s going to need great conditioning to win this fight.
“What I can tell you is David is on a different level. He’s matured so much mentally, and physically, and he’s very strong,” said Jose Benavidez Sr to Fight Hub TV. “Caleb Plant woke up the monster in him to dedicate himself even more.
“He was already dedicated with what he went through in the past. I think that’s a blessing in disguise. I’m super thankful for that. I just see him on another level. Sometimes I don’t even recognize him.
“You guys are going to see a different David Benavidez. That’s what I always heard in life. ‘Overtrain.’ How in the hell are you going to get somewhere? Hard work. The secret to success is hard work.
“We’ll see on Saturday if he’s overworked because he worked super hard for this fight, super hard. I’ll tell you, he’s never worked this hard. So I hope Caleb trained hard also because if not, he’s in big trouble.
“We worked on a lot of things, but I’ve got to be realistic. We got to go round by round. We can have a plan, but if you have a fighter that is not committed and is moving around and is not cooperating, we’re going to have to adjust and do other things.
“We’re going to go out in the first round, feel him out, and get loose, and from there on, there’s no stop. We know we have to work hard. That’s what we prepare for to work hard, and we got to cut the angles and cut the body.
“There’s no other way. We’ve got to be intelligent, and we got to be smart and move our head and not walk straight up. We have to adjust to Caleb Plant.
“I’m saying eighth, and I’m saying sixth,” said Jose Sr about the round Benavidez will knockout Plant. “This is the biggest fight of our careers. We’ve been trying to get this fight for over five years.
“He’s been bullying David for years, saying he’s fat. This will be the biggest satisfaction for me for David to knock this guy out or make him quit on the stool,” said Jose Sr.
