David Benavidez was scheduled to make the first defense of his World Boxing Council super middleweight title against Roamer Alexis Angulo on April 18 in his hometown of Phoenix.
The entire Showtime televised event was canceled as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic began to spread throughout the United States.
“It is very disappointing because I am not going to be able to fight in my hometown, which I have been trying to do for the last five years. Although I am confident that the fight will be rescheduled in Phoenix. At the moment and because of the situation, the best option is to follow the recommendations of the authorities and stay home,“ said Benavidez.
Benavidez has been living in Seattle, the epicenter of where the coronavirus outbreak first became a problem in the United States. But he said he has been taking all the necessary precautions to make sure he doesn’t get the virus.
“We are really concerned, but we are taking precautions. We are not leaving the house at this time,” said Benavidez, who lives with his father and coach José Benavidez Sr. and his older brother José Benavidez Jr.
“It is complicated but we cannot take this as a game. This is something we take very seriously. I will be moving around in the gym, I will probably run on the machine, I will do a little bag work, a bit with the gloves. I feel like that is a normal part of my life anyway. I will keep active every day. I feel very comfortable training.”
Benavidez is lucky to be able to continue training without worrying about being infected by another boxer because he has his own gym in Seattle.