David Benavidez and Jose Benavidez Jr, are two of the most highly touted prospects in the sport of boxing. At the tender age of 21, David became the youngest fighter ever to become the WBC Super Middleweight Champion. In a career that has spanned over two decades, Benavidez has a record of 26-0. Although Ronald Gavril pushed him to the limit, David still won the bout via a split decision.
He can dig deep when he needs to and his aggressive boxing style has made him a great attraction to the fans. It was clear that David was talented from a very young age. However, talent itself is not enough if there is no hard work and proper guidance. Hence, the role of his father and trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr, is very significant. But it was not just David, Jose still also built up his elder son Jose Benavidez Jr to be a world-class boxer as well.
Who is Jose Benavidez Jr?
Jose Benavidez jr was named after his father. He was born on May 15, 1992, in California. His younger brother, David was born on December 17, 1996. Much like his more accomplished brother, Jose was also a wonderchild. From qualifying twice for Junior Olympics to winning two silver gloves to becoming an 11-time national champion, Jose Benavidez Jr had an amateur record of 120-5.
While David Benavidez started his pro career even before turning 18, Jose had a relatively late start. His pro debut came against Steven Cox at the age of 21, in January 2010. He beat Cox via TKO in the very first round and had an unbeaten streak of 27 fights! During that amazing run, he beat Henry Aurad for the NABF light welterweight belt. Jose also beat Mauricio Herrera for the interim WBA interim light welterweight belt.
However, his first loss came against one of the most elite active fighters in the sport today. On October 13, 2018, Benavidez Jr took on Terence Crawford. Although Crawford got the win via TKO in the 12th round, it was a great fight to witness and Benavidez Jr had some great moments. Afterward, he took off 3 years and took on Francisco Emanuel Torres. However, the ring rust was evident in Jose’s performance.
The bout went the full distance and it ended in a majority decision. His poor run continued against Danny Garcia on July 30, 2022. He fought Garcia inside the Barclays Center in New York and the contest once again went the full distance. Although it ended in another majority decision, this time the judges favored Garcia to win. As per BoxRec, Jose currently holds a record of 27-2-1.
