So, what’s next for ‘Interim’ WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez? If some rumors are to be believed, ‘The Mexican Monster’ will fight undisputed light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol this summer, as a fight deal between them is close to being finalized. However, there’s a twist in that narrative, which reveals a completely different story for the 28-year-old.
In the meantime, David Benavidez’s father Jose Benavidez Sr. has shared an update on his son’s next move. Just the other day, Royal Advisor His Excellency Turki Alalshikh announced that he is no longer interested in bidding for a fight between Bivol and Benavidez, which had crossed his mind in the past. Instead, he wants to focus on a blockbuster rubber match between Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.
Soon after this announcement, Julius Julianis of ESPN Knockout reported, “PBC and Matchroom are very close to finalizing an agreement for Bivol and David Benavídez to face each other this summer.” This spread across the internet as media outlets swarmed the rumors, unintentionally fueling them and making many believe they were true. The fact that the WBC had ordered Bivol to defend his titles against Benavidez just days before further solidified its legitimacy.
However, the reality was far from it. According to a report from Boxing Scene, Sampson Lewkowicz, Benavidez’s manager, did send a “very large offer” to Bivol’s team, but the Russian team didn’t accept it, as of the time of writing. Meanwhile, the case blew open when boxing journalist Dan Rafael shared a statement from Bivol’s promoter, Vadim Kornilov, on the matter.
“We are not close to finalizing Benavidez. We are not close to finalizing anything at this point. We are 2 weeks away from fighting 4 big fights in 1 year’s time. And right now we are just close to our kids and relatives,” Kornilov was quoted saying by Rafael on X. As the truth behind the potential Bivol vs. Benavidez fight was revealed, David Benavidez’s father dropped a 10-word update about his son.
“Back in the gym stay tuned big news coming soon,” Benavidez Sr. wrote on X while sharing a clip of his son working the bag. So, this raises the question, who will Benavidez fight next?
With Dmitry Bivol out of sight, David Benavidez could fight…
If the Dmitry Bivol fight is truly out of the question, Benavidez still has one opponent to keep himself busy, as Bivol and Beterbiev settle their score. As the current ‘Interim’ WBC and [Regular] WBA champion, Benavidez can fight ‘Interim’ WBO light heavyweight champion Callum Smith, further solidifying his claim to a shot at the eventual undisputed winner of Bivol-Beterbiev trilogy.
Boxing – Callum Smith v Lenin Castillo – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain – September 25, 2021 Callum Smith before his fight against Lenin Castillo Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
The good news? After Smith’s dominant win over Joshua Buatsi last month, Benavidez seemed open to trading blows with the Englishman. Plus, Smith has already shared the ring with Canelo Alvarez—a fighter Benavidez has long wanted to face. If Benavidez can deliver an even more dominant performance against Smith, it would bring him one step closer to proving he’s the superior fighter.
That said, it appears the rumored Dmitry Bivol vs. David Benavidez fight is not happening. However, Benavidez Sr.’s announcement tease suggests Benavidez will stay busy while Bivol and Beterbiev head towards a trilogy. Who do you think Benavidez’s opponent could be?
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