BRILLIANT BENAVIDEZ
SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT prospect
David Benavidez becomes a contender as he thrashes former
Rogelio Medina in eight rounds at the Laredo Energy Arena in Texas.
Benavidez, 20 years old and the brother of welterweight contender
Jose Benavidez, dominates the Mexican Medina – who took
James Degale 12 hard rounds last year – as he scores knockdowns in rounds six, seven and eight. The final flooring is the result of a stunning eight-punch combination that almost sends Medina out of the ring.
“Have you ever seen a knockout like that?” asks Benavidez’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz. “David is the best supermiddleweight in the world. No one can take his punches.”
The victory puts the Phoenix fighter in line for a shot at the currently vacant WBC title, which is scheduled to be contested by Liverpool’s Callum Smith and
Anthony Dirrell at a venue to be determined in Los Angeles on September 9.
TANAKA RETAINS TITLE
JAPAN’S Kosei Tanaka moves to 9-0 as he retains his WBO lightflyweight, and ends the unbeaten run of Puerto Rico’s Angel Acosta via 12-round decision, at the Takeda Teva Ocean Arena in Nagoya.