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PHOENIX, Ariz. – David Benavidez is not a young man in a hurry.

It just looks like it.

The 18-year-old Benavidez, the younger brother of WBA interim junior-welterweight champion Jose Benavidez Jr., wasted little time in a stunning light-heavyweight victory over Rollin Williams Saturday night at Celebrity Theatre in front of a near-capacity crowd that included Hall of Famer Michael Carbajal and retired multi-division champion Erik Morales.

Benavidez has been laboring in his brother’s shadow. He’s been the understudy, the other Benavidez, happy to learn and patient until he graduates to center stage.

That moment might be near.

David Benavidez’ fast hands made short work of Williams, who at 49 is more than three decades older than another potential star in the Benavidez family.

Benavidez (8-0, 7 KOs) stunned Williams (23-21-2, 8 KOs) with a blinding three-punch combo about 90 seconds after opening bell. He ended the round with another uninterrupted succession of blows. Williams hung on the ropes as if he were unconscious. Turns out, he was.

Seconds after the round ended, a Williams’ corner man rushed down the ring’s apron to rescue him. But Williams
had already begun to fall, taking the corner man with, over the top rope, head over heels and onto the canvas.

Officially, it was a stoppage at 2:59 of the first round. But it was over a lot earlier than that, thanks to a Benavidez who might be as hard to stop as the other one.
On the Undercard

The Best: Hometown decision? Maybe. But hometown approval? It wasn’t there for Phoenix bantamweight Alexis Zazueta (5-0, 4 KOs) in his split decision over Saul Hernandez (6-7, 4 KOs) of Tijuana.

A crowd of about 2,000 booed at the 38-37 scorecards, two for Zazueta and one for Hernandez after a back-and-forth bout that appeared to be a draw. It cheered when Hernandez was lifted onto the shoulders of a corner man. It booed when Zazueta raised his hands in triumph.

There was disagreement on the cards, but none in the crowd.

The Rest: Phoenix middleweight Joey Ruelas (9-1-1, 4 KOs) had the hometown love that Zazueta did not in overwhelming Raheem Gordon (4-5, 2 KOs) of Kileen Tex., for a first-round stoppage that filled the building with a roar of approval; Phoenix junior-lightweight Jesus Zuniga (2-3) was stubborn, tough and a surprise in a unanimous decision over Yovani Rodarte (0-1) of Downey, Calif.; California heavyweight Bernardo Marquez moved tirelessly behind a good jab for a unanimous decision over Anetelea Opetaia (0-1) of Phoenix; welterweight Saul Bustos (3-0, 2 KOs) threw a crushing right that sent Jesus Lopez (0-2) crashing off the canvas in a scary first-round knockout; junior-lightweight Julian Rodarte (1-0) of Downey, Calif., won his debut when Jorge Fontes Michel (0-1) quit after two rounds; Phoenix junior-welterweight Danny Montoya (1-0) walked forward and over John Gonzalez (0-2) for a unanimous decision in his debut; Washington DC bantamweight Daron Williams (1-0, 1 KO) did a short dance during the bout and longer one after a first-round stoppage of Christian Juneau (1-1) of Texas; Phoenix featherweight Carlos Castro (8-0, 3 KO) won a decision, unanimous on the cards and unanimously dull, over Raymond Chacon (5-16) of Los Angeles.

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