David Benavidez’s Inspirational Weight Loss Transformation From 250 Pounds- How Did He Lose More Than 70 Lbs?

The story of David Benavidez is an inspiring one. After getting denied several title opportunities at super middleweight, the undefeated Mexican Monster will test his luck against David Morrell for a possible shot at the undisputed 175 title. But this is not the first time that the 28-year-old will have a high-stakes fight.

In simpler terms, it was his destiny to rule the boxing world. He was sparring with the likes of Gennady Golovkin even before his debut and created history at 20, after becoming the youngest super middleweight champion in boxing history. However, even he had to overcome an aspect of life that haunted him for years. Let’s take a look at the lowest phase of the WBC interim light heavyweight’s life, where he was unable to recognize himself.

David Benavidez’s fat-to-fit story

Born on December 17, 1996, in Phoenix, Arizona, Benavidez grew up in a boxing family. His father, Jose Benavidez Sr., served as his trainer and introduced him and his brother, Jose Jr., to the sport at an early age. The 28-year-old showed high in-ring skills, IQ, and sensational talent for the sport from the start, and his rise to the top was nothing but guaranteed.

However, as David Benavidez’s parents separated, the siblings also had to suffer the consequences. In 2009, Jose Jr. won the Golden Gloves and went with his father to train alongside Freddie Roach, leaving David behind with his mother. However, it also meant that there was no training for David Benavidez until his father and brother were gone.

As a 15-year-old kid, Benavidez loved food, and according to him, the Big Mac with the super-sized fries and a vat of soda big enough to swim in was his weakness that led him to a path of self-loathing. While Benavidez has always been a huge guy, standing at 6’1, during that time he weighed almost 260 lbs. He lost all his discipline and gained 100 pounds in about a year. Even his father was furious when he saw him, while his big brother mocked him and called him names like “fat boy” or “fat a**.”

Those words can be devastating for a 15-year-old as he starts detecting the way he looks and even failed to recognize himself in the mirror. “I was 15 and I thought to myself that if I kept going that way, I would hit a point of no return and my boxing career would be over,” stated Benavidez while appearing in an interview with the PBC. He thought his career was over even before it got started and would wash down in the excess of fast food and lost discipline. Furthermore, if he kept going on like that, “I’m going to be obese and I’m going to be like, ‘My 600 lb life.'”

However, rather than feeling lost and disheartened, Benavidez took it as a wake-up call. Facing the wrath of his father was like a wake-up call for him, and he “had to do something about it. I didn’t want to be the next Butterbean. I felt like I disappointed my father,” revealed Benavidez to the PBC. While appearing in an episode of Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru and Henry, Benavidez revealed how his own reflection started haunting him.

That seemed to be a turning point in his life as he “made the decision” to turn his life around and jumped right back into boxing. A sport that once again saved his life and gave him another purpose.

David Benavidez is a changed man now and handles his weight relatively well. However, as a big guy in 168 and 175, he still faces problems in handling his weight. After all, his natural weight is far more than he fights in.

How much does David Benavidez weigh now?

In the same Pound 4 Pound interview, David Benavidez revealed that his natural weight is around 200 lbs. That has created a lot of problems in his professional career as well. After all, losing 32 lbs before every clash can’t be an easy task. The Mexican Monster has lost the super middleweight title twice without even losing a single match.

He lost the title for the first time in 2018, after testing positive for cocaine. He won the title the next year by beating Anthony Dirrell. However, he lost it again immediately before the fight against Roamer Angulo because of coming in overweight for the fight.

According to Benavidez, he currently weighs 188 lbs during training camp, 13 pounds above 175. However, unlike before, he doesn’t see losing weight as tedious but rather takes it as a challenge. He also believes that losing weight at 16 years old made him the fighter he is today. “When I lost the weight, I also started getting taller. I look back lately on what I went through and the dedication I put into losing the pounds. The times I told myself, ‘One day I can be a champion,'” revealed Benavidez.

With that experience, he is confident that he can face anyone and knock them out. Every time he faces a setback, the 15-year-old version quietly whispers, “Don’t forget the sacrifices that got you here,” in his ears and he never stops.

David Benavidez is the definition of how hard work and determination can change your life. Though he still faces issues with weight management, his record suggests that he doesn’t let it derail him any further. What are your views on David Benavidez’s story?