In anticipation of this weekend’s super middleweight PPV showdown between David Benavidez and Caleb Plant, Jose Valenzuela takes some time to talk to Fight Hub TV about being in camp with Benavidez, their preparation, and why he thinks Plant will be a bit surprised by the craft of Benavidez once he gets inside the ring with him. Check out some excerpts of what Valenzuela had to say below.
Valenzuela on training with Benavidez
“David is looking like a monster...this guy already works extremely hard but he’s pushing it to another level and I love it because he’s motivating me. I’m coming off a tough loss, this fight means a lot to him, this rivalry with Caleb Plant.
“He’s just more hungry. He’s always been hungry but when you have a real rivalry with somebody else you just push that much harder, you run that extra mile, and you do all that extra stuff. And I think in the longer term all that stuff adds up and it’s gonna show fight night.”
On the biggest misconception about Benavidez from his own sparring experience with him
“I think his defense is underrated. He looks like he’s just standing there or he’s stable but this guy (moves his head) in the pocket and his height and he’s big for the division, so I think that’s tough. I think a lot of people, when they fight, they realize he’s not as easy to hit as you think he is. I think Caleb is gonna have a tough night that night.
“(Benavidez) is walking you down but at the same time he’s cautious about the punches you’re throwing. I’m fast and I let off and I try to turn and do feints and stuff, but he’s very on top of things. So I think that’s something that’s very underestimated about David.”
On the matchup between Benavidez and Plant
“I think he probably has more experience than Caleb. I think Caleb has a great amateur background but David been pro since he was 15. He’s been in the ring with Golovkin, Kelly Pavlik, all these great guys. So he has the professional experience.
“You can’t take nothing away from Caleb too, because he brings his slick boxing and amateur background too, so that’s what makes this fight great.”
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