Here’s some more bad news by way of a fight being called off. As per a tweet from Mike Coppinger, Jose Uzcategui has tested positive for banned substance rEPO, this under VADA regulations, and his fight with David Benavidez, which was set for November 13, is now off. Reportedly, Uzcategui tested positive on October 27. The Benavidez-Uzcategui fight was originally set for August 28, only for Benavidez to test positive for COVID-19, the date needing to be shifted.
Now it looks as though this fight will never happen at all. While this one was no massive fight, it’s a downer all the same that the super-middleweight match-up will not take place. Some people were expecting an entertaining slugfest affair, now we will never know how the action would have shaped up. Benavidez, 24-0(21) has for some time stated how he feels he is the man to defeat Canelo Alvarez, and a dominant and convincing win over Uzcategui, who has never been stopped, may well have got the 24 year old one big step closer to his dream fight. Hopefully, Benavidez will still get his chance at a massive fight, either against Canelo or someone else. It is though, that Canelo fight that Benavidez really wants.
Benavidez, who has not fought since March, when he stopped Ronald Ellis, is sure to be angry and frustrated now that he has no fight set. Who knows what Benavidez will do now, whether or not he will still fight on November 13 against a late replacement foe? As for Uzcategui, 31-4(26), the very career of the man from Venezuela hangs in the balance as a result of the unfortunate findings. We have still to hear anything from either fighter or from any members of their team, but a positive test is indeed a positive test.
Thankfully for we fight fans, the remaining boxing schedule for 2021 is still extremely solid, with a number of potentially great fights to look forward to.
