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Training camp notes: David Benavidez

Photo by Naoki Fukuda
Fighters Network
11
May

Former two-time WBC super middleweight titleholder David Benavidez has been preparing diligently ahead of his fight with David Lemieux at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on May 21.

Benavidez, who is rated No. 1 by The Ring at 168-pounds, began training camp on January 15 in San Diego, California.

“I came earlier because the first date they told me was the end of March and then they said April 30th and then they changed it to May 21,” Benavidez (25-0, 22 knockouts) told The Ring. “I thought I’m already here in training camp, I may as well keep training.

“I feel it worked out for the best. It’s a necessary fight to be working hard for, and it keeps me focused. Training more keeps me hungry and more motivated.”



The 25-year-old entered camp at 195-pounds but refutes and suggestions of him struggling to make the super middleweight limit of 168-pounds, stemming from missing weight by three-and three-quarter pounds, which cost him his world title ahead of a fight with Roamer Alexis Angulo in August 2020.

“No, there’s no struggle to make 168,” he explained. “The only time there was trouble making 168 was that one time I missed weight. I feel every fighter goes through one time, they miss weight. There’s been champions, Gervonta Davis, Canelo Alvarez etc. (who have missed weight also).

“The training conditions we (had back then) were way different from anything I had ever experienced; it was the bubble. Wehad to quarantine in the room, you had to train in the room, you weren’t allowed downstairs in the gym, we only had the treadmill for an hour a day. It was a completely different time. Now the nutrition has been better, the diet is better. I’m really dedicated to my diet since that has happened. I feel everything is cleared up with that.”

Benavidez, who spars on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, has rising young fighters Diego Pacheco and Jose Valenzuela with him.

“We have a great group of guys right here training, they keep me motivated,” he said. “They both had two sensational knockouts [recently], so I’m even more motivated to go in there and get a knockout for myself, too.”

A typical Benavidez day begins in the early morning.

“I’ll wake up at 8 a.m. run about 6 miles, then training from 1:30 all the way to 3:30. Then strength and conditioning from 7-8 every night.

“I eat breakfast after I’m done running. I eat three eggs and tomato. For lunch I eat fish with tomato and for dinner I eat fish and tomato. I drink about two gallons of water a day. A really clean diet.”

Benavidez doesn’t miss material goods, specific foods or the night life, but there is one thing he’s looking forward to after the fight.

“What I miss the most is my son and wife, just being at home – hanging out with them,” he said. “My wife and son came to San Diego, like five times.

“My son is a year and six months; I’ve been going to training camp for a while so I’ve missed out on a lot of his life already.”

 

Benavidez-Lemieux, plus full supporting undercard, will be broadcast on Showtime, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT.

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Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him on Twitter@AnsonWainwright

 

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