Teddy Atlas has highlighted one major factor that could make Dmitry Bivol too great of a risk for David Benavidez.
Their potential undisputed clash could materialise later this year, or early next year, though both light-heavyweight champions are equally considering alternative options.
With Bivol having just retained his IBF, WBO and WBA titles against Michael Eifert, there appears to be considerable interest in an Artur Beterbiev trilogy showdown in Russia.
Beterbiev won their first encounter by majority decision in October 2024, while Bivol claimed his undisputed crown via the same margin in their rematch the following February.
It would therefore make sense for the pair to enter a rubber match, potentially leaving Benavidez to remain at 200lbs in pursuit of further titles.
‘The Mexican Monster’ dethroned Gilberto Ramirez with a sixth-round stoppage last month, becoming a three-division world champion by claiming the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles.
Since then, he has become the mandatory challenger to WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian, while still holding his green and gold strap at 175lbs.
If it were up Atlas, Benavidez would be targeting a three-belt unification match in his current weight division, rather than making the same mistake that Roy Jones Jr did in his illustrious career.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, the Hall of Fame trainer explained the danger of coming down in weight after having acclimatised to the division above.
“The only concern I have is [with Benavidez] going up and down in weight. Case in point: Roy Jones Jr.
“When he went up [to fight] John Ruiz to win that version of the heavyweight title, then came back down, he was never the same. He was getting older, but he was never the same.
“[If] you go up in weight and then you’ve gotta come down – [Benavidez] can do it, but it could be a problem.”
In the case of pound-for-pound legend Jones, a bold decision to re-join the 175lb weight class ultimately contributed to him suffering a second-round stoppage defeat to Antonio Tarver.
