David Benavidez is ready to settle in a division and ‘reign for a long time’.
The 29-year-old is a three-weight world champion, winning his first title at super-middleweight before moving up to light-heavyweight and winning the interim WBC belt, only to be upgraded to full champion when Dmitry Bivol vacated.
Benavidez made one defence of that strap – knocking out the UK’s Anthony Yarde in seven rounds – before seizing an opportunity to move up again.
Despite previously saying that he intended to drop back down to 175lbs, Benavidez has now recognised that the ‘Zurdo’ win may have been him at his very best. With that in mind, he told Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger that he will now settle at 200lbs.
“No, [I am not returning to light-heavyweight]. I feel great at this weight-class, I don’t have to lose weight, I have never felt as good as I did for my last fight [against Ramirez]. So, I want to be the reigning champion for a long, long time.”
Benavidez recently dropped his WBA regular belt at light-heavyweight, and is expected to do the same with the WBC.
The decision puts fights against light-heavyweights Bivol and Artur Beterbiev – who have long been on Benavidez’s hit list – at risk, though the Russian duo have not ruled out a move up in weight in the past.
A long-awaited bout with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, however, will now be off the table entirely. The Mexican icon has competed at light-heavyweight on two occasions – beating Sergey Kovalev and losing to Bivol – and could fight there again. Cruiserweight is a completely different story, and a bridge too far for 5′ 7″ Alvarez.
It marks the end of a long rivalry that never made it to the ring, with fans often criticising Canelo for refusing the fight when both were competing at 168lbs. He returns to action this month, looking to beat Christian Mbilli to win back the WBC belt that he lost to Terence Crawford last year. The American’s retirement saw Mbilli upgraded.
Though fans have missed out on a fight that was, at one stage, one of the most intriguing in the sport, Benavidez is not short of good options. Should he beat Michał Cieślak in December to add the 200lbs WBC belt to his collection, a fight against Jai Opetaia awaits next year.
