David Benavidez has named the boxing legend who hit him the hardest.
Benavidez became the youngest super-middleweight world champion in boxing history when he outpointed Ronald Gavril via split-decision back in 2017, before capturing the WBC light-heavyweight crown last year.
Next month, the 29-year-old next makes the jump up to cruiserweight, where he attempts to dethrone unified WBA and WBC world champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez in a captivating Cinco De Mayo clash.
Whilst many think Ramirez will be Benavidez’s most difficult test yet, the Phoenix-born phenomenon has shared the ring with legends behind the scenes.
Speaking on the ‘BS w/ Jake Paul’ podcast, Benavidez recalled the time he was hurt by middleweight great Gennady Golovkin when sparring ‘GGG’ as a teenager.
“I sparred him and when I first saw him getting ready he gave me the coldest stare. I will never forget it, he is not dogging you but he is looking at you like ‘yo, you are in for something right now’.
“This is why I stayed with Golovkin the whole time and why I became his main sparring partner; we were in sparring and we both went for the left-hook to the body at the same time and we both hit each other. Boom. I get hurt and he gets hurt.
“I know he got hurt because I heard him grunt and he hurt me, so we both just kind of looked at each other and stepped back. From there, I sparred him until I was like 20 years old, I was his main sparring partner.
“He was the hardest puncher that I have ever been in the ring with but he is also very intelligent.”
Kazakh powerhouse Golovkin is viewed as one of the best middleweights of all time, with 37 of his 42 victories coming by knockout.
He most memorable fights arguably came when he was involved in an epic trilogy against Canelo Alvarez, with the third meeting between the pair coming in September 2022, which has proven to be the last time that Golovkin stepped inside the ring.