José Luis Benavidez Jr. (born May 15, 1992) is an American professional boxer who challenged for the WBO welterweight title in 2018. He is the brother of two-time WBC super middleweight champion David Benavidez. He also made his acting debut as Felix Chavez in Creed III (2023).
Benavidez was born in Panorama City, California and is of Mexican and Ecuadorian descent. His younger brother, David Benavidez, is also a professional boxer. In August 2016, he was shot in Phoenix while walking his dog.
Benavidez Jr. was an eleven time national champion, which include the Silver Gloves twice, qualifying for the Junior Olympics and earning a spot on the U.S. National Team,. His final amateur record was 120âÂÂ5. Benavidez is also the 2009 National Golden Gloves Champion in the light welterweight division, making him the youngest ever Golden Gloves Champion at only sixteen years old. He then reached the USA Boxing National Championship's title fight in Denver by beating the 2010 National Golden Gloves Champion Gary Allen Russell. He would lose the final on points 11âÂÂ9 to Frankie Gómez.
On 13 October 2018, Benavidez Jr fought the unbeaten Terence Crawford for his WBO welterweight title, in what was the first title fight of his career. Benavidez Jr put up a good fight, but was ultimately overmatched by Crawford and lost the bout via TKO in the final round.
In his next bout, Benavidez Jr fought Francisco Emanuel Torres. The bout ended in a majority draw, with one judge seeing Benavidez Jr as the winner, scoring it 96âÂÂ94, while the other two scored it 95âÂÂ95.
In his next bout, Benavidez Jr fought former champion and WBC #5 super welterweight Danny Garcia. Garcia beat Jose Benavidez by majority decision, with the scorecards announced as 116âÂÂ112, 117âÂÂ111, 114âÂÂ114 in favor of Garcia.
In his first fight since November 2023, Benavidez Jr knocked out Danny Rosenberger in the fifth of their scheduled eight-round bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on 1 February 2025. However, the result was changed to a no contest in June 2025, when he was given a backdated nine-month suspension and fined $3,750 after his post-fight drugs test came back positive for banned substance Benzoylecgonine.