Phoenix's David Benavidez moves up a weight class in boxing, still eyes Canelo Alvarez
Phoenix native David Benavidez has arrived as one the top boxers in the world. As such, his undefeated record (28-0) has earned him the WBC interim world super middleweight title belt and the distinction of mandatory challenger to Canelo Alvarez's super middleweight title.
Benavidez, 27, has earned his shot at Alvarez. He's never backed away from quality opponents. He's built a big fan base that originated in Phoenix but now has grown far beyond. Big names in sports, like Mike Tyson (who labeled Benavidez the "Mexican Monster") and ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith have expressed how much they like what Benavidez can do.
Still, despite large public outcry for the fight to happen, Alvarez seems to want no part of Benavidez. At least not now. So Benavidez has moved on in his career, bulking up to light heavyweight to take on Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the interim WBC light heavyweight title.
The fight happens Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, a co-feature to the Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin lightweight title fight for the WBA World championship.
How to watch David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk
The David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin fight card will be streamed on Prime Video pay-per-view. It can be ordered at amazon.com and searching Tank-Davis-vs-Frank-Martin.
David Benavidez on weight class
The biggest difference for Benavidez in moving up to light heavyweight is that he doesn't have to shed seven extra pounds.
"I've been at super middleweight for the past 10 years, my whole career, and I feel like my body's getting bigger, I'm getting older, so I'm just growing as a man. I think it's time for me to move up to 175 (pounds). We're still hoping we can get that fight with Canelo at 168 but I think for right now, the best fight for me is to go to 175 and just see how it feels up there," Benavidez told The Arizona Republic. "Light heavyweight is definitely going to be a good home for me. ... I can still make 168 no problem."
David Benavidez vs Canelo Alvarez?
Benavidez continues to hold out some hope that a fight with Alvarez will happen.
"It's not even hope. It's a right that I've earned," Benavidez said. "The WBC, they're going to definitely have to do something to mandate this fight. I feel like everything will play out on its own. The good thing is I've got time on my side... if the fans want to see it happen, I think it eventually will happen."
Is Alvarez ducking Benavidez?
"I feel like it's 100 percent true, because if I was an easy target, and if you've been hearing about the money they want to pay him to fight with me, he would have been taking that payday, he would have been taking me out," Benavidez said. "But because he knows I'm the strongest person at 168 pounds, in the super middleweight division, and because he knows damn well that once he gets in the ring with me I'm going to take all the titles home with me, I think he's trying to get the easiest fights out of the way first before he gets the hardest fight in the division."
David Benavidez next fight
Benavidez, should he win Saturday, is in line to fight the winner of the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol fight for the undisputed light heavyweight title that is scheduled for October in Saudi Arabia. He could be light heavyweight world champion as soon as next year.
That fight could be his next if the Alvarez fight doesn't materialize before that.
Beyond everything, Benavidez spoke of the possibility of moving to cruiserweight at some point in his career.
Gvozdyk is no slouch. He's 37 years old and his only career loss (20-1) was to Beterbiev.
Canelo Alvarez next fight
Alvarez just fought on May 4 and has said that he will take on Benavidez if the money is right, but it's anyone guess if he will agree to step in the ring with Benavidez. There's talk of a fight against Terence "Bud" Crawford, the undisputed world welterweight champ. But Crawford would have to move up a couple of weight classes.
Who else from Phoenix fights on June 15?
Middleweight Elijah Garcia, a 21-year-old rising star from Phoenix, fights Kyrone Davis prior to the start of the pay-per-view portion of the night. Garcia (16-0) holds a WBA belt and is the No. 1 contender for the world title in that boxing association.
A win over Davis, who lost to Benavidez in Arizona in 2021, could get him a shot at the belt. This fight was scheduled for March, but Garcia had to bow out due to an upper respiratory infection during fight week.
"A win over Kyrone Davis will prove that I'm ready for a world title," Garcia told the Republic. "The world title is right there. I feel like he's just in my way."
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: David Benavidez eyes Canelo Alvarez for next fight
