David Benavidez has made a big splash in the light-heavyweight division after his success at super-middleweight. The fighter known as "The Mexican Monster" is ready for new challenges.
Benavidez's move up in weight came after he missed out on a showdown with Canelo Alvarez at super-middleweight, where he was a two-time WBC champion. He's wasted no time making his mark at 175 pounds, picking up wins over Oleksandr Gvozdyk and David Morrell. These victories have put him in position as the mandatory challenger for the WBC light-heavyweight title.
Now, Benavidez might get his shot at glory. There's talk that he's close to agreeing to a fight with Dmitry Bivol, the undisputed light-heavyweight champion. Bivol grabbed that title in February when he beat Artur Beterbiev in a rematch, after Beterbiev had won their first fight in October.
While Benavidez is eager to take on Bivol, he's not quite ready to jump up to heavyweight to face Oleksandr Usyk. In a recent interview with Fighthype, Benavidez explained his thoughts on a potential Usyk fight:
"To be honest with you I have to deal with these monsters in this weight class first. Usyk? I don't think I have enough experience to go up against Usyk. I'm just being 100% honest. Like you say never say never, maybe in the future, maybe in 5 or 6 years but by then Usyk will be 40 something or even older. I have tremendous respect for Usyk and he's the greatest of all time."
Benavidez's focus remains on the light-heavyweight division for now. He's honest about needing more experience before considering a fight with someone of Usyk's caliber. Still, he doesn't rule out the possibility entirely, suggesting it could happen in 5 or 6 years.
Usyk, the current unified heavyweight champion holding the WBC, WBA, and WBO belts, has his own plans. He's not looking to return to cruiserweight, as he's too heavy now. Instead, his goal is to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Usyk's next fight will likely be a rematch with IBF champion Daniel Dubois this summer.
For now, Benavidez has plenty to keep him busy in the light-heavyweight division. His potential clash with Bivol could be a defining moment in his career, and fans will be eager to see if he can continue his winning ways against the division's best.
