Dmitry Bivol's reign at light heavyweight continues to impress, but one former champion thinks he's found the fighter who can stop him. James Toney, the retired four-division world champion, believes David Benavidez is the only man who can knock out the Russian star.
Bivol recently solidified his status as a pound-for-pound superstar. On February 22 in Riyadh, he avenged his first career defeat against Artur Beterbiev, claiming a majority decision and the undisputed light-heavyweight championship. The 34-year-old Russian had already made history as the only man to take the 40-year-old knockout artist the distance in their first encounter.
Toney, known as "Lights Out" during his fighting days, shared his thoughts on Bivol's future in an interview with Mill City Boxing. He sees Benavidez as a serious threat to Bivol's dominance.
"Benavidez stops Bivol," Toney said. "He's busier, he hits harder. He hits harder than Beterbiev too."
Toney's prediction carries weight given Benavidez's impressive resume. The Mexican-American fighter, nicknamed "The Monster," currently holds the WBC Light-Heavyweight World Champion title. He's a two-time WBC super-middleweight champion and boasts a perfect record of 30 wins with 24 knockouts.
Benavidez recently made his light-heavyweight debut, winning a unanimous decision over Oleksandr Gvozdyk. He followed that up with a victory against David Morrell, further cementing his status as a force in the division.
While a Bivol-Benavidez showdown isn't on the immediate horizon, both fighters have plenty of options. Bivol and Beterbiev are gearing up for a trilogy bout to settle their rivalry. Meanwhile, Benavidez could face Callum Smith or potentially Anthony Yarde, if Yarde gets past Lyndon Arthur this month.
Toney believes a potential Benavidez-Beterbiev clash would be a spectacle. "That's gonna be a 12-round war," he predicted.
As the light heavyweight division continues to heat up, fans will keep a close eye on these top fighters. Will Benavidez get his shot at Bivol? And if he does, will Toney's bold prediction come true? Only time will tell, but one thing's certain – the 175-pound weight class is brimming with exciting possibilities.
