There reached a point in the fight where David Benavidez sensed he was going to stop Ronald Ellis.

It was the moment he left training camp in Big Bear, California more than a week ago, however, when he knew he already had the fight won.

“I haven’t felt like this since the [Rogelio] Porky Medina fight (in May 2017),” Benavidez told BoxingScene.com of his conditioning for his eventual 11th round stoppage win over Ellis on Saturday night. “I’m definitely going to go back to Big Bear for my training camps.

I wasn’t even worried about the rounds. I just asked my dad what round it was just so I could push the gas. When he told me it was the 11th round, I was like “Oh shit.” I had to push it. I wasn’t tired at all. That’s what working out in Big Bear does. It gives you stamina like crazy.”

Benavidez (24-0, 21KOs) knew he had to come correct ahead of his Showtime headliner versus Massachusetts’ Ellis (18-2-2, 12KOs) given how things played out last time he fought on the network and at Mohegan Sun Arena. The Phoenix native missed weight and was forced to give up his WBC super middleweight title prior to his 10th round stoppage of Alexis Angulo last August.

There weren’t any surprises this time around. Benavidez easily made weight and then proceeded to make easy work of a game but ultimately overmatched Ellis in their WBC super middleweight title eliminator. Benavidez was 341-of-733 (47%) in total punches on the night, averaging more than 60 punches per round and also connecting on 54% of his power punches.

It is all attributed to a reported 13-week training camp at high altitude in Big Bear, as opposed to training close to home where distractions easily get in the way of the work that needs to be done.

“There’s still more to do,” insists Benavidez. “I want to throw 100 punches per round. I feel like 70 isn’t good enough. I want to be a great fighter at the end of the day. That’s my sweet spot [at Big Bear]. I want to work how my idols trained.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox