David Benavidez is still waiting for the career-defining fight he craves, but according to Lennox Lewis, the outcome will be the same no matter who stands opposite him.
Benavidez, who has 25 knockouts from his 31 victories, is currently enjoying a second reign as a world champion, this time at light-heavyweight, having first claimed the WBC super-middleweight title back in 2017. The 29-year-old is nearly two months removed from a one-sided defence against Anthony Yarde, a performance that only strengthened his reputation as one of boxing’s most feared operators.
Next comes a calculated detour. In May, Benavidez will step up to cruiserweight to challenge unified champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, a fight that could go a long way towards defining where his future ultimately lies.
Few fighters understand legacy better than Lennox Lewis. The former undisputed heavyweight champion cemented his place in history through defining clashes with Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, and Lewis made his feelings on Benavidez clear when speaking to Carl Froch.
“Benavidez, that’s my guy right there. He’s a serious contender. The man’s a boogeyman in one sense. Who is out there to give him a good fight? I don’t see anybody out there to give him a good fight. He’s that good.”
Froch, himself a former three-time super-middleweight world champion, suggested to Lewis that reigning unified light-heavyweight champion and world number one Dmitry Bivol could present Benavidez with his toughest test. Lewis, however, remained unmoved — even though Bivol outboxed the destructive Artur Beterbiev last year.
“I’m still picking Benavidez on that one.”
Benavidez’s next moves carry risk as well as reward, but 2026 is shaping up as a pivotal year. It will either deliver the defining nights his talent demands — or finally expose the dangers that come with chasing greatness across multiple divisions.
