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David Benavidez Defends Title vs. Alexis Angulo
Headlining PBC Event Aug. 15 Live On SHOWTIME
Undefeated WBC Super Middleweight World Champion David “El
Bandera Roja” Benavídez will defend his title against former
world title challenger Alexis Angulo in a Premier Boxing
Champions event Saturday, August 15 live on SHOWTIME from
Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 9 p.m.
ET/6 p.m. PT and also features rising lightweight Rolando
“Rolly” Romero taking on fellow unbeaten Jackson Maríñez in
a 12-round battle for the interim WBA Lightweight Title,
while heavyweight contenders Otto Wallin and Travis Kauffman
square off in a 10-round showdown.
“David Benavídez will look to keep his perfect record
intact, continue to display his superstar potential and
further cement his positioning in the stacked 168-pound
division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “As
an undefeated world champ, Benavídez can expect a strong
challenge from Alexis Angulo, which should create an
action-packed main event on SHOWTIME. Combined with a battle
of hungry unbeaten lightweights in ‘Rolly’ Romero and
Jackson Maríñez, plus a heavyweight slugfest between Otto
Wallin and Travis Kauffman, this shapes up to be another
can’t miss night of high-stakes action.”
“It’s going to be great to be in the corner of David ‘El
Bandera Roja’ Benavídez on fight night,” said Sampson
Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing, who is recovering from a recent
surgery. “I feel so good and so strong and I truly can’t
wait to be there to support the youngest super middleweight
champion in history.”
The event is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing.
The Romero vs. Maríñez bout is co-promoted by Mayweather
Promotions.
The 23-year-old Benavídez (22-0, 19 KOs) defends his belt
after defeating two-time super middleweight champion Anthony
Dirrell in September, stopping him in nine rounds. Benavidez
is trained by his father José Sr., alongside his brother and
former title challenger, José Jr. In 2017, he became the
youngest super middleweight champion in boxing history by
defeating Ronald Gavril on SHOWTIME at just 20 years old.
Representing his native Phoenix, Ariz. Benavídez went from a
15-year-old prodigy sparring with Gennady Golovkin and Peter
Quillin, to world title contender with a 10-fight knockout
streak from 2015 through 2017, including a highlight-reel
knockout of Rogelio Medina with a seven-punch combination
that earned him his first championship fight.
“It’s been almost a year since the last time I fought, so
I’m very eager to get back in the ring and give the fans a
great fight,” said Benavídez. “Training camp has been
amazing. Fortunately, my dad opened his own gym just before
the pandemic, so we’ve had private training and been able to
safely bring in sparring partners to help me work. I’m
facing a very tricky and rugged fighter, so I’m taking him
very seriously. I feel like I can take advantage of some
openings in his defense and look for the knockout like I do
every fight.”
Born in El Bordo, Colombia and now fighting out of Miami,
Fla., Angulo (26-1, 22 KOs) enters his second world title
opportunity on a three-fight winning streak, including two
triumphs over previously unbeaten fighters. Angulo stopped
Reinaldo Gonzalez in 2018 in his first fight since losing a
decision to then-super middleweight champion Gilberto
Ramirez earlier that year. He scored a decision victory this
January over Anthony Sims Jr. to put himself in position to
again challenge the best in the division.
“I’m ready for anything that happens in the ring on August
15,” said Angulo. “This is going to be a great fight for the
fans because of the style I bring to the ring. Benavidez is
a strong champion, but my style will be too much for him and
I will have my hand raised on fight night.”
Fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev., Romero (11-0, 10 KOs) added
three knockout victories to his tally in 2019 before his
2020 debut saw him stop previously unbeaten Arturs Ahmetovs
in February. A fast-rising prospect in the Mayweather
Promotions stable, the 24-year-old is ranked No. 10 by the
WBA and will look to extend his six-fight knockout streak on
August 15.
"It feels great to return to the ring and to be fighting for
such a great opportunity,” said Romero. “This has been the
best camp of my career, and I'll just say this, if a
pandemic is holding you back from training, then you don't
want it bad enough. I already believe I should be here with
the top guys, but the world will actually get to see that I
am who I say I am. I'm confident in my abilities as a
fighter and I have the best in the business, Floyd
Mayweather, behind me. I think this fight will end fairly
quickly, but you will get to see the growth in me as a
fighter. This is another fight that will further prove I'm
here to stay. Sign up for KO's!"
“This is a big step up for Rolando, and he’s been waiting
for the opportunity to showcase his talent,” said Leonard
Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “He has a big test
ahead to prove himself. This is going to be another one that
you don’t want to miss, so tune-in to SHOWTIME on Saturday,
August 15.”
The 29-year-old Maríñez (19-0, 7 KOs) holds the WBA’s No. 6
ranking, which he earned with victories over Rolando Giono
and Kenin Betancourt while picking up eight wins between
2018 and 2019. Representing his native Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic, Maríñez was successful in his U.S. debut
in December of last year, stopping Yardley Armenta Cruz in
two rounds.
“I’ve had a great training camp for this fight,” said
Maríñez. “I’ve been sparring with Vergil Ortiz and Jose
Ramirez, plus other fighters in Robert Garcia’s gym, and
it’s gotten me ready to step into the ring. I know that
Romero is a tough and durable fighter, so it won’t be easy,
but I’m going to do anything I can to bring the title back
home.”
Wallin (20-1, 13 KOs) will return to the ring for the first
time since he nearly defeated Tyson Fury in September 2019,
when he opened up a gruesome cut over Fury’s right eye with
a legal punch that nearly halted the fight. While the
29-year-old lost a decision, he proved his mettle as a
potential future heavyweight champion. Representing his
native Sundsvall, Sweden, Wallin trains in New York with
former champion Joey Gamache.
“I’m very happy to finally be back in the ring,” said Wallin.
“It’s been a long and crazy year in many ways and it feels
great to be getting ready to step back into the ring. I’ve
been training steady since the Fury fight and I feel like
I’ve developed my game in a lot of ways. Kauffman is a tough
veteran that can both come forward or box if he wants to.
He’s a fan friendly fighter and I have to be ready at all
times. We have a great game plan as always and I’m in
excellent shape. I know I have all the tools to beat
Kauffman.”
A veteran of the heavyweight landscape, Kauffman (32-3, 23
KOs) owns a ledger that includes challenges of top
heavyweights including Luis Ortiz, Chris Arreola and Amir
Mansour, amongst others. The Reading, Pennsylvania native
lost his most recent bout to Ortiz, following a 2018 triumph
over Scott Alexander.
“This is my first training camp in seven years without
Brother Naazim Richardson, but I know that he wouldn’t want
me to leave camp and he’d want me to stay focused,” said
Kauffman. “Having him pass away while I was in camp was one
of the hardest things I’ve had to deal with, but there’s
adversity in every camp I’ve had. I wouldn’t feel right if
there wasn’t adversity to overcome. My father, Marshall,
stepped back in as my head trainer. We know we’re facing a
young, hungry fighter, but I have more experience than him
and I don’t think he can last 10 rounds with me when I’m at
100% like I’ll be on August 15.”
Additional non-televised action will include super
middleweight contender Alantez Fox (26-2-1, 12 KOs) battling
Ghana’s Habib Ahmed (27-1-1, 18 KOs) in an eight-round
attraction.
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