Jose Benavidez told Fight Hub TV, "They decided not to go ahead and vacate the belt. It's a big surprise that they did."
The elder Benavidez believes other fight scenarios made more sense. He said, "A fight against David Benavidez would have been a big fight, and maybe the winner of that fight could have fought Beterbiev, or maybe we could have fought Beterbiev first, and the winner of that fight could have fought Bivol. It would have made more sense."
Jose also revealed they had offered Bivol a significant purse for a potential bout. "It is very accurate. It was $8 million. Bivol would have taken 60% and we 40%. That was just for Dmitry [the $8 million]. It was between $14 million and $15 million," he explained. "We were not going to step aside. I don't believe in those who step aside."
Despite these setbacks, Team Benavidez isn't planning to sit around waiting for opportunities. Jose stated, "We're not going to wait for anybody. We didn't wait for Canelo, so we're not going to wait for anybody. We try to stay active and give the fans what they want."
With Beterbiev and Bivol now off the table, potential opponents for the "Mexican Monster" might include Anthony Yarde or Callum Smith. Eddie Hearn, Smith's promoter, has shown interest in a Benavidez fight. However, Hearn seems to prefer Smith challenging the winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev trilogy, given Smith's status as WBO interim champion.
As the light heavyweight landscape shifts, David Benavidez and his team will need to reassess their options and chart a new course forward in their pursuit of championship glory.