By Ian S Palmer
Unbeaten former WBC Super Middleweight Champion David Benavidez of Phoenix, Arizona was planning on defending his crown against Roamer Alexis Angulo of Colombia in his last fight in August but lost the title on the weigh scales instead when he came in 2.8 lbs overweight. He still took care of Angulo after 10 rounds though and his now hoping to land another title shot. First though, he needs to get past Ronald Ellis of Lynn, Massachusetts this Saturday, March 13. The 12-round bout from Uncasville, Connecticut can be seen live in America on Showtime while fans in Canada can catch it on TSN 2. Ellis last fought in December when he stopped Matvey Korobov after four rounds when Korobov suffered an ankle injury.
The 24-year-old Benavidez won the vacant WBC belt in September, 2017 with a split decision over Ronald Gavril even though he was dropped in the 12th round. He then beat Gavril by unanimous decision in a rematch five months later. He sat out for a year after testing positive for cocaine and returned in March, 2019 with a second-round stoppage of J’Leon Love. Benavidez then regained the title by stopping Anthony Dirrell in the ninth round in September, 2019 before losing it on the scales.
Benavidez is a hard-hitter who turned pro in 2013 after a short 15-0 amateur career. He’s boxed 97 rounds since and won the vacant NABF Junior Light Heavyweight Title in April, 2015 with a first-round TKO of Rollin Williams. He enters the match with a perfect record of 23-0 with 20 Kos and owns quite a bit of power with a current knockout ratio of 87 per cent, but Gavril took him the distance in both of their fights.
Benavidez likes to slug it out and that means he’s not really the hardest guy to hit, but he has a decent chin even though Gavril decked him. Benavidez is just over 6-feet-1-inch tall with a reach of 77 inches. His biggest wins so far have been over Angulo, Dirrell, Love, Gavril, Rogelio (Porky) Medina, and Denis Douglin. He’s hoping to land a title shot against Saul ‘Caneko’ Alvarez in the near future and a win over Ellis will be another step in the right direction.
As for Ellis, he’s now 31 years old and carries around a pro record of 18-1-2 with 12 Kos. He made his pro debut in 2011 and has boxed 92 rounds since. Before that, he enjoyed a pretty good amateur career and was a 2010 National Golden Gloves Champion as a middleweight by beating Terrell Gausha in the finals 3-2. Ellis stands just over 5-feet-10-inches tall and possesses a 77-inch reach which means he’s three inches shorter than Benavidez with the same reach.
Ellis was beaten by DeAndre Ware via 10-round majority decision in February, 2019 for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super Middleweight Title and the vacant NABA – USA Super Middleweight Title. He drew Junior Younan over 10 rounds in 2018 and with Jerry Odom over eight rounds two years earlier. Ellis beat Steven Tyner by four-round unanimous decision in 2013 but it was later changed to a no-contest for some reason.
Prediction…
Benavidez has done well in the ring but is undisciplined outside of it. He appeared to be an excellent prospect mainly because of his power and age while his boxing skills should develop with experience. First of all he needs to make weight for the fight. If he does, he might find Ellis to be a pretty good foe with a decent chin. However, Benavidez is an entertaining fighter ans should catch Ellis sooner or later. as long as he’s not careless.
