Two-time super middleweight world champion David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez is hoping to become the first boxer to score a stoppage win over former champion Jose Uzcategui.

The two boxers will collide in a WBC super middleweight title eliminator on Saturday, August 28 in a Showtime televised main event from the Footprint Center in Arizona.

Uzcategui was the IBF's champion at 168-pounds - until he lost the title by way of a twelve round decision to Caleb Plant in 2019.

Benavidez wants to make a statement by closing the show inside the distance.

“I know that I can hurt anybody. I’ve hurt everyone I’ve ever faced. I’m not ignorant though, I know that he has power too. I think if I follow my game plan, I can definitely knock him out. No one has knocked him out, so I’m training hard to be the first person to do that. I go for the stoppage in every fight and I know he’s going to come for the same thing," Benavidez said.

Uzcategui is the obvious underdog, but he's not being overlooked by Benavidez.

"Uzcategui is not an easy fighter. He’s an ex-world champion looking to be champion again, so we’re at a crossroads, and whoever wins knows they have a big fight coming," Benavidez said.

“This is a big opportunity for whoever wins this fight. He’s been in this sport for a long time and has a lot of experience. This is the kind of fight we both need to get to the bigger dogs. I’ll fight whoever I have to in order to get back to the world title. I’m going to earn my opportunity any way it comes.

“We both throw good power shots and we’re very similar fighters. When two bulls go toe-to-toe you’re going to get a war. This is going to be one of the best fights of the year. It’s a guaranteed war."