Sampson Lewkowicz proudly announces that budding superstar, and WBC World Super Middleweight Champion, David “El Bandera Roja / Red Flag” has renewed his exclusive Sampson Boxing promotional agreement.

20-year-old Benavidez (19-0, 17 KOs), became the youngest super middleweight world champion in boxing history by winning a split decision over Romania’s Ronald Gavril last September. The Phoenix-based slugger says he’s happy to continue his promotional relationship with Lewkowicz.

“Sampson is a great promoter and he’s done a lot for me,” said Benavidez. “He’s always treated me and my team with respect and I was eager to re-sign with him. I can’t wait to defend my title against the best and become the great fighter I am with Sampson on my team.”

Father, co-manager and trainer Jose Benavidez says signing with Sampson was an easy decision for Team Benavidez.

“We are all really happy and excited,” he said. “We started with Sampson and he’s done a tremendous job. We are super satisfied with what he’s done and where we are at. We didn’t even think twice about it. I think when this contract ends, we’ll sign another one with him.”

Co-manager David Garcia says continuing with Sampson Boxing means more big fights are on the horizon for the young champion.

“Sampson has been good to work with and David became a world champion within two years of signing with him, so we’re very excited to be able to continue that. Davis is a phenomenal talent. He is eager to take on the best in the division and then move up or down in weight and continue to dominate other champions.”

“I’m very proud to continue working with this wonderful team,” said Sampson Lewkowicz. “David, Jose Sr. and David Garcia are always gentlemen and very easy to work with. David has a long, distinguished career ahead of him and it’s an honor to be a part of his rise to the top of boxing.”
About Sampson Boxing
After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

Sampson Boxing has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious promotional firms, representing many of the world’s best fighters and most promising young contenders.

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America and Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. and several international networks.

By Norm Frauenheim-

David Benavidez wants to do what his older brother has already done. To wit: Make a little history. As a noteworthy accomplishment, being the youngest ever with a title is already in the family scrapbook.

Jose Benavidez Jr. pulled it off in 2009 when, at 16, he became the youngest to ever win a national Golden Gloves title.

Eight years later, younger brother David, less than a year removed from his teens, hopes to become the youngest super-middleweight champion Friday (Showtime 10:05 p.m. ET/PT) in a bid for a vacant World Boxing Council belt against Ronald Gavril at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock.

“This opportunity means the world to me,” the 20-year-old Benavidez (18-0, 17 KOs) said. “I’ve been working for this since I was a little kid.’’

Truth is, the younger Benavidez, of Phoenix, is out to prove he’s more of a prodigy than just a kid, especially against an unknown Gavril (18-1, 14 KOs), a 31-year-old Romanian.

There are questions about how Gavril even got into a position to fight for a title vacated by Badou Jack. He’s there because 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Andre Dirrell withdrew because of injury. The 34-year-old Dirrell is well-known, which might be another saying he’s shop-worn. Gavril is more unknown, which might make him a lot more dangerous.

Hard to say. What is known — and known in abundance, however, is that Benavidez has been beating up his elders since he went pro in Mexico at the same age his older brother won one of the biggest prizes of all in the amateur remarks. Sixteen, Sweet 16, if you’re a Benavidez.

Another display of David Benavidez’ power would further solidify his credentials as a mature player at 168 pounds and eventually at every other weight from light-heavy to heavy. He’s only going to get bigger, certainly on the scale and maybe in name recognition.

“Winning the championship would be enough on its own’’ David Benavidez said. “But the opportunity to be the youngest in the sport is a major accomplishment and the biggest of my life so far.’’

For now, David has a bigger name than brother Jose, a major prospect in 2010 and an interim junior-welterweight champion in 2014 with a controversial decision over Mauricio Herrera. But the older brother in the family’s youngest-ever tandem is hoping to work his way back into contention.

Jose Benavidez’ career was interrupted in August 2016 when he was shot in a knee while walking his dog in Phoenix, according to Phoenix police. In the spring, the knee had healed enough for Benavidez to begin running.

Now, he’s ready to resume his career, probably at welterweight. Jose Benavidez visited his promoters Thursday at their Top Rank offices in Las Vegas Thursday to discuss a comeback bout later in the year, possibly in November.

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 7, 2017) – All six super middleweight boxers made weight on Thursday, one day before a stacked tripleheader tomorrow/Friday, Sept. 8 on SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition live on SHOWTIME® (10:05 p.m. ET/PT) from the Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS:
David Benavidez: 167 ½ Pounds
Ronald Gavril: 166 ¾ Pounds

J’Leon Love: 168 ¼ Pounds
Abraham Han: 167 ½ Pounds

Caleb Plant: 167 ¼ Pounds
Andrew Hernandez: 166 ¼ Pounds

FINAL QUOTES:

DAVID BENAVIDEZ:
“I’m a little surprised the title shot came this early. My dad told me to be ready and if the opportunity came, I need be ready to show up.

“[Gavril] thinks I’m a kid, I know it. I’m 20 years old, but I’m going to let him make the mistakes and let him come forward, then I’m going to take over.

“He’s never faced someone like me. I’ll let him think what he wants to think. I know what I can do. This is the biggest fight of my life and I have to take advantage.

“Leaving Phoenix was probably one of the best things I’ve ever done, especially for my boxing career.

“I can’t keep my mind away from boxing and I have to stay sharp because the fights are getting harder and harder.

“The last few fights have been tough and I can’t go in there just thinking about the knockout. I have to take them apart piece by piece. My approach has changed. I’m not going in there just wailing away like Mike Tyson. I’m going to dissect them.

“I see that he’s a pressure fighter and has good body work. He only has one speed and doesn’t have any other gears. I’ve watched a lot of film on him and feel like he has some weaknesses that I can expose. I’m going to end this in a knockout! I’m ready to go 12 rounds, but I’m going to knock him out.

“I’ve dedicated myself the most I ever have for any fight this time. I had sparring partners exactly like Gavril.

“I feel comfortable at this weight, but I can see myself going up to 175 at some point, maybe three or four years from now.

“I know if I win I’m going to be the youngest super middleweight world champion ever. That’s just frosting on the cake.”

RONALD GAVRIL:
“Our camp was extended by two weeks because we were supposed to fight on Aug. 26. But the world title fight came up so we had to go for it.

“I’m going to make him fight. I’m a more experienced fighter and have a higher boxing IQ than my opponent.

“I’m not overlooking Benavidez. He’s a tough fighter and we know it. My trainer [Eddie Mustafa Muhammad] has been working with me on a game plan. I’m going to be ready for whatever he has to bring.

“It was a great camp and we had the best sparring partners, including Badou [Jack] and Jose Uzcategui.

“I’ve watched video of Benavidez. He throws lots of combinations and quick hands. They say he’s a highlight reel, but he will be exposed on Friday night.”

J’LEON LOVE:
“I know I’ve had a year-long layoff, but I’ve always been in the gym just working on my mistakes and polishing my game. I’m past the prospect stage and now I’m a contender.

“He’s not as smart as me. I’m coming to make a statement. He’s going to try and bring the fight to me, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve had some bigger guys in sparring, light heavyweights.

“It’s easy to be comfortable, but I’ve learned from my mistakes. I’m blessed to have Floyd [Mayweather] in my life, but he won’t always be there. I have to be able to do some things for myself. Everyone knows Floyd has it all, but he still busts his ass and works hard.

“Theo Chambers is back training me now and I had to go back to Kronk Gin Detroit to let the dog come out. I started with him when I was 14 years old.

“I want guys like James DeGale, and the winner of Benavidez and Gavril. Why not? I’m hungry for whatever. I’ll do whatever I have to do be world champion.

“Sometimes you need some time off and a layoff is good. I healed my mind and my body. We’ve worked on some things and now we are ready to put it on display. I’ve learned from my mistakes.

“Boxing just comes natural to me and I’m feeling really good about my chances Friday night.”

ABRAHAM HAN:
“I wasn’t always focused on my career, but I’ve gotten it back and my sister [current IBF women’s Featherweight World Champion] Jennifer is a big reason for that. I had to figure some things out. She beat my butt all the way through high school. Guys would see me with black eyes and know that she would beat the crap out of me. It was kind of embarrassing when you get beat up by your sister.

“This is a big opportunity for me. I lost two split decisions [to Sergio Mora and Fernando Guerrero] and both could have gone either way. I had the only knockdowns in both fights, but I was on the ‘B’ side so you know how it’s going to go.

“El Paso is trying to become a fight town and we have a lot of good trainers, but we still have a ways to go.

“I injured my shoulder a few years ago and couldn’t use my right shoulder so I started fighting more southpaw. I’ve done a lot of mixed martial arts growing up, and it hasn’t been hard switching from that to boxing.

“J’Leon Love has one of the best teams in boxing in Mayweather Promotions. I have to throw punches in bunches.”

CALEB PLANT
“I’m just going to go in there calm and relaxed as I always do and make adjustments as I need to. I could tell you everything I plan to do, or what could happen, but this this is boxing and everyone knows how it works. It depends on what’s going on inside the ring, and I will make adjustments.

“My opponent does different things and is very durable and comes to fight. We know he moves well and can do different things and be the aggressor. He has different dimensions. We’re not overlooking him.

“This isn’t the first time it’s happened, and it won’t be the last, having to face a different opponent than we trained for. At the end of the day it’s all about being able to make adjustments, in the ring and in life. I don’t expect anything less than an A-plus performance.

“I’m not taking this fight lightly. This is no joke. Boxing is life and death to me. It’s all I have and it’s been my whole entire life since I was nine years old. I don’t have anything else.”

ANDREW HERNANDEZ
“I’ve had about a week notice for this fight. Of course I’m going to say yes. I’m not going to run from any fighter or opportunity. Caleb is a tremendous prospect and they are talking about him fighting for a world title soon. So much opportunity can come from this.

“[Caleb] doesn’t have many weaknesses. He has good hand speed and pretty good power and very good defense. He’s the total package and I have my work cut out for me. But I’m very confident in myself and I hope I can take him into deep waters.

“Hopefully I will fight the best fight I can and pull off the upset.”

“I’ve had some upsets during my career. I’ve been doing this long enough and hopefully someday maybe I’ll fight for a world title and get a nice payday before it’s all said and done. I’m very hungry.”

# # #

LAS VEGAS (September 7, 2017) – The sport of boxing was the center of attention in August with a record-setting mega event that captured the imagination of the public. A trio of shows presented by Premier Boxing Champions in September will give fans more opportunities to see young boxers on the rise in the sport.

“Premier Boxing Champions will present three shows that will deliver the kind of excitement that fans have come to appreciate. All three shows involve boxers who have a bright future in the sport and are tomorrow’s stars,” said Tim Smith, VP of Communications for Haymon Boxing.

David Benavidez (18-0, 17 KOs) will take on Ronald Gavril (18-1, 14 KOs) for the vacant super middleweight world title in a bout that will have historical implications when the two boxers square off in a 12-round bout that headlines a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® on Friday, September 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The 20-year-old Benavidez has the chance to become the youngest super middleweight champion in history and the youngest reigning boxing world champion in the sport today. Gavril is looking to win the title that was once held by his Mayweather Promotions teammate, Badou Jack, who vacated the title to move up to 175 pounds where he claimed a light heavyweight world title with a dominant victory over Nathan Cleverly on Aug. 26.

The undercard will feature two more exciting matches in the super middleweight division. Once-beaten contender J’Leon Love (23-1, 13 KOs) will battle Texas-native Abraham Han (26-3, 16 KOs) in a 10-round bout and unbeaten prospect Caleb Plant (15-0, 10 KOs) takes on Andrew Hernandez (19-6-1, 9 KOs) in 10 rounds of action.

Unbeaten super lightweight contender Mario Barrios (19-0, 11 KOs) will clash with Philadelphia’s Naim Nelson (13-3, 1 KO) in a 10-round battle from Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and FOX Deportes on Tuesday, September 16 at 10 p.m./7 p.m. PT. The 22-year-old Barrios of San Antonio has been on a roll this year, knocking out Yardley Armenta Cruz in March and Jose Luis Rodriguez in June.

In the other televised bouts, Brooklyn light heavyweight prospect Earl Newman (10-0, 7 KOs) takes on Toledo’s Paul Parker (8-2, 4 KOs) in an 8-round bout to open the broadcast and a pair of undefeated featherweight prospects Stephen Fulton (11-0, 5 KOs) and Adam Lopez (8-0, 3 KOs) face off in an eight-round co-main event.

Six boxers with a combined record of 72-1 will do battle on TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and FOX Deportes on Sept. 26 from Cannery Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. ET. Unbeaten Cuban super featherweight Leduan Barthelemy (13-0, 7 KOs) will meet Eduardo Ramirez (20-0-2, 7 KOs) from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico in a 10-round main event.

In the co-main event Alejandro Salinas (8-1, 8 KOs) of Youngstown, Ohio battles Duarn Vue (12-0-2, 4 KOs) of Madison, Wisconsin in an eight-round super featherweight bout. In the opening TV bout, Bryan Figueroa (12-0, 5 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico will fight for the first time outside of Mexico when he takes on Ivan Jimenez (7-0-1, 4 KOs), who is from Cuba but now lives in Las Vegas, in an eight-round lightweight match.

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 5, 2017) – Fight Week is here for the six boxers competing in this Friday’s SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast, headlined by unbeaten rising star David Benavidez and contender Ronald Gavril who will battle for the vacant WBC Super Middleweight World Championship live on SHOWTIME (10:05 p.m. ET/PT) from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.

The event, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, will feature two additional showdowns in the super middleweight division. Once-beaten J’Leon Love (23-1, 13 KOs) will battle Texas-native Abraham Han (26-3, 16 KOs) in a 10-round bout while unbeaten prospect Caleb Plant (15-0, 10 KOs) takes on 31-year-old Phoenix, Ariz., switch-hitter Andrew Hernandez (19-6-1, 9 KOs), who steps in for Alan Campa for the 10-round attraction.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are priced at $100, $50 and $25, and are on sale Tuesday, Aug. 22. To purchase tickets visit AXS.com or the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas Box Office.

The following is a training camp update from each of the fighters on this Friday’s tripleheader.

David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez
* He trains out of The Summit Gym in Big Bear, Calif.
* His trainer is his father, Jose Benavidez Sr.
* With a victory, Benavidez (age 20) would become the youngest Super Middleweight to ever win a world title and the youngest current world champion.
* He’s very familiar with the gym because his brother Jose Benavidez Jr. (former WBA interim super lightweight champion) used to train there when he was active.

Benavidez on training camp:
“My training camps are always fairly long. I only take a week off after every fight and go back into training. For the first couple weeks, it’s just moving around, then we slowly work into the hard training. For this one, I probably had like a month and a half, two months.”

On his opponent:
“I feel like he [Ronald Gavril] has a really good style for me to showcase my skills, like how I did against Rogelio Medina. With our sparring partners, we have brawlers and we have boxers, as well. Whatever style he fights on that night, I’m going to be prepared for it.”

Ronald “The Thrill” Gavril
* He trains at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas.
* He is a former European amateur standout.
* His trainer is Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (65 years old; former WBA light heavyweight world champion, retired in 1988 with a record of 50-8-1, 39 KOs).

Gavril on training camp:
“I feel really sharp and I’m really happy with how everything has gone during training. This is the opportunity that I’ve worked so hard to get to and I’m definitely not letting it slip by. I know that everything needs to be 100 percent on fight night so I’m pushing myself to be ready to do whatever it takes to leave with the belt.”

On his opponent:
“Benavidez is a strong guy who’s coming in with a lot of support behind him, but I’m not going to let any of that distract me from my preparation. Me and my trainer are going to have a great game plan for him. I know he wants to be active and smother me and we’re going to show him all of the parts of my game.”

Eddie Mustafa Muhammad:
“I got Ronald sparring with the IBF’s number-one super middleweight contender, Jose Uzcategui. He’s giving us good work, too-he can fight. We also sparred Badou Jack for a couple rounds. We’ve got an abundance of guys that we’re working with.

“The way they’re talking about Benavidez, it’s like he’s King Kong. But it’s good-perfect! Ronald is a boxer-puncher, he can adapt. That’s the whole key. He has a wealth of amateur experience. This is our opportunity. We’ve talked about this for a while now, and Ronald is at a point where he’s ready right now…It’s going to be a great fight.”

J’Leon Love
* He trains at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas.
* His trainer is Theo Chambers.
* He’s been in training camp for about five months

Love on training camp:
“My training camp-it’s been months! I started training in April. Being that we had fights fall out, I always stayed in the gym. That’s the hardest part, because I feel like I’ve had bad luck with fights falling out. But one thing I can say-we train our ass off! I just want to go on vacation after this.”

“We’ve had a lot of good sparring-Lionell Thompson and Denis Douglin have been in here working. We’ve had so many sparring partners throughout this camp, and we’ve just been working, working, working.

On his opponent:
“I remember Abie Han from the amateurs. He’s always been a tough fighter. You can’t look past anybody. Everybody comes in that ring to fight. Everybody comes in with a different mode or a different drive, so this may be the drive he has to really come out and explode on the scene and beat me. So, I’m taking him absolutely, positively serious, like he’s a world championship fighter and we’re fighting for the world title.”

Abraham “The Sun City Warrior” Han
* Trains out of his father’s martial arts studio in El Paso, Texas (Han’s Martial Arts).
* He is trained by Louie Burke — 56 years old; former pro junior lightweight, retired in 1985 with a record of 19-3, 12 KOs; won the “ESPN Junior Lightweight Title” on Apr. 14, 1983, with a 12-round unanimous decision against Freddie Roach; also won a 10-round decision against Roach in the rematch on Nov. 10, 1983.
* He has sparred with former world champion Austin Trout.

Han on training camp:
“I train at my dad’s martial arts studio in El Paso – Han’s Martial Arts. I’m sparring mostly with local people from El Paso, and I also sparred with Austin Trout.

“I’ve been working hard and working with Austin (Trout) and that makes a big difference. Austin makes me so much better. He’s been a world champion and he will be a world champion again. His expertise and his knowledge is amazing. He’s been in those situations and he tells me little things along the way and I think that will make all the difference in this fight.”

Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant
* Moved to Las Vegas from Nashville about a year ago to train
* He is trained by Justin Gamber and his father Richie Plant.

Plant on training camp:
“I’ve been living in Las Vegas for more than a year now – since August 24th, 2016. I’ve been in the gym consistently this whole time since my last fight, but my ‘official’ training camp will be seven or eight weeks. We bounce around to a couple of different gyms for sparring. I’ve had good work this camp – great sparring, good strength and conditioning, good gym work, and I’ve had good rest. I have a good diet.

“I know every boxer says, ‘Oh, this is my best camp,’ and a lot of times they don’t mean it. But this has literally been my best camp. Things are very smooth.”

Andrew Hernandez
* He is managed by his wife Jacquie Hernandez and trained by Alan Beirs.
* Alfred Quintana serves as his cut man and strength and conditioning coach.
* A late replacement, Hernandez got the call on Aug. 29 and accepted the fight; contract signed the next day.
* Trains at Gents Gym in Arrowhead, Ariz.

What Hernandez has to say:
“I’ve known my trainer, Alan Beirs, for a while. He actually helped me with my last couple of fights – we’ve only been together maybe six months or so. He worked my corner in February, but we weren’t working completely together. Then when I got back in the gym in March, that’s when we really started working together.

“I train at a place called Gents Gym in Arrowhead, Ariz. I trained there with the Busted Knuckles Boxing crew – that’s Alan Beirs’ crew. We’re all pushing each other to get better and I know they’ll have me ready for fight night.”

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionsand www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions

LAS VEGAS (August 17, 2017) – Unbeaten rising star David Benavidez and powerful contender Ronald Gavril will battle for the vacant WBC Super Middleweight World Championship on Friday, Sept. 8 live on SHOWTIME in the headlining attraction of a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.

The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/PT and will feature two additional showdowns in the super middleweight division. Once-beaten J’Leon Love (23-1, 13 KOs) will battle Texas-native Abraham Han (26-3, 16 KOs) in a 10-round bout while unbeaten prospect Caleb Plant (15-0, 10 KOs) takes on Mexico’s Alan Campa (16-3, 11 KOs) in 10 rounds of action.

Benavidez (18-0, 17 KOs) has a chance to make history – at just 20-years-old he is aiming to become the youngest super middleweight champion in history and the youngest reigning world champion in the sport today. Gavril (18-1, 14 KOs) will seek to keep the WBC 168-pound title in the Mayweather Promotions family after it was vacated by his stablemate, Badou Jack.

“This opportunity means the world to me,” said Benavidez. “I’ve been working for his since I was a little kid. It’s all come down to this moment when I’m ready to take this belt and take over the 168-pound division. The time is almost here, and I can hardly wait for September 8. Winning the championship would be enough on its own. But the opportunity to be the youngest in the sport is a major accomplishment and the biggest of my life, so far. I have a tough competitor in front of me, and I know he’s treating it as seriously as I am. I’ve been working for two and a half months for this fight and I’m not overlooking him.”

“It’s been a great journey for me getting to this point of fighting for a world title,” said Gavril. “I have a great team behind me who pushes me every single day to perform my best, learn from my mistakes and perfect my technique. Those values have gotten me here and I am thankful for such an amazing opportunity. I will go out there and give it everything I have, I can’t leave the ring without the championship belt.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are priced at $100, $50 and $25, and are on sale Tuesday, Aug. 22. To purchase tickets visit AXS.com or the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas Box Office.

“In November 2015, I said that I had new blood for our industry David Benavidez, who would be the best and youngest super middleweight champion in the history of our sport,” said Sampson Lewkowicz, Benavidez’ promoter. “We didn’t cherry pick this opponent. He was the next available contender when Anthony Dirrell pulled out. We expect fireworks. We expect to birth a new superstar. The most important thing is to determine in which round Gavril will be knocked out, because I believe that we’re talking about matching a jet plane against a helicopter. So I expect a spectacular performance from Benavidez, who will begin his run as the new blood in boxing and will keep it going until he retires.”

“To be in a position to announce another great card coming just weeks after the biggest event in sports history shows that Mayweather Promotions shows no signs of slowing down,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “We are thrilled to present this fight card on September 9, filled with tremendous talent featuring top contenders in the Mayweather Promotions stable. Gavril has proven to be a tough competitor, he’s on a long win streak with his last four coming by way of TKO, Love making his return to the stage is sure to excite fans, and the always exciting Caleb Plant will definitely put on show. This is what boxing is about, bringing together some of the most exciting talents on one stage.”

After delivering a highlight reel knockout of Rogelio Medina in May, Benavidez has now racked up a perfect 18 wins in 18 starts at just 20-years-old. The younger brother of undefeated Jose Benavidez, David picked up four victories via stoppage in 2015 and continued with four more in 2016 including blasting out previously unbeaten Francy Ntetu in June and tough contender Denis Douglin in August. Most recently, Benavidez began his 2017 campaign with a second-round destruction of Sherali Mamajonov in January. The Phoenix-native will look to make history in the 168-pound division on September 8.

Born in Romania, Gavril won a 165 amateur fights and trained with the National Team before turning pro in 2011 and eventually moving to Las Vegas to train at the Mayweather Boxing Club. The 31-year-old won his first 11 pro fights before dropping a narrow contest to veteran Elvin Ayala. Gavril bounced back emphatically with seven straight victories including then unbeaten Oscar Riojas and once-beaten Christopher Brooker. He scored a third-round stoppage of Decarlo Perez in April ahead of his first world title opportunity.

A once-beaten contender at 168-pounds, the 29-year-old Love bounced back from his lone defeat with three victories 2015 before stopping Michael Gbenga and Dashon Johnson in 2016. The Inkster, Mich., native earned wins over Marco Antonio Periban, Derrick Findley and Lajuan Simon on his way to contender status and will look for another victory to put him in world title contention.

Han is a former champion kickboxer and third degree black Blackbelt who hails from El Paso, Texas and enters this fight the winner of his last three contests, including a first round stoppage in March of this year. A winner of his first 19 pro bouts, the 32-year-old owns a victory over Marcos Reyes in addition to narrow losses to former champion Sergio Mora and former title challenger Fernando Guerrero.

A 2011 National Golden Gloves champion, Plant has begun to make his name in the professional ranks since turning pro in 2014. After picking up six victories in 2015, Plant continued his success with stoppages of Adasat Rodriguez and Carlos Galvan before going 10 rounds for the first time in a unanimous decision victory over Juan De Angel in August 2016. The 25-year-old from Nashville began training in Las Vegas this year and picked up a victory over Thomas Awimbono in February.

Fighting out of Sonora, Mexico, the 25-year-old Campa enters this contest the winner of three of his last four contests, including a victory over then once-beaten Paul Valenzuela Jr. last April. Campa has fought professionally since 2010 and won his first nine fights while also battling top contenders Sergey Derevyanchenko and Jesse Hart.

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionsand www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions