Welterweight contender Jose Benavidez Jr. (25-0, 16 KOs) was shot early on August 25 while out for a walk in a Phoenix neighborhood. His injuries are not considered to be life threatening, according to Sgt. John Howard, a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department.
TMZ first broke the news and said he was shot in his leg. Howard declined to specify where on his body was Benavidez shot.
"He was apparently walking in his neighborhood and was approached by a stranger, who asked him a question and then shot him," Howard told ESPN. "That is what he said. He was taken to a local hospital. He should recover. His injuries are not life threatening."
According to the TMZ report, one source with knowledge of the situation told TMZ that Benavidez's injuries pose a serious threat to his boxing career.
Carl Moretti, vice president of Top Rank, which promotes Benavidez, said that the organization are aware of what has happened and are concerned for Benavidez's safety.
"We were just made aware of the situation," Moretti said. "Obviously we don't know all there is to know, but our concern is strictly for Junior's well-being at this point."
Benavidez is a former interim junior welterweight titleholder and coming off a 10-round decision win against Francisco Santana (24-5-1, 12 KO) on July 23 in Las Vegas on the Terence Crawford-Viktor Postol HBO PPV undercard. The 24-year-old made his debut in 2010 with a first-round TKO victory over Steven Cox. As of this writing, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.
