The David Benavidez next fight news is here, and the Phoenix, Arizona native is set to return this November. But who will the WBC light heavyweight king be facing?
In his second fight since moving up to light heavyweight, Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) met the previously undefeated David Morell Jr. on February 1. The WBC champion outlanded Morell to earn the unanimous decision win, along with the WBA (Regular) light heavyweight title.
Now, he will make his first defense of the WBC light heavyweight title against Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs). He was elevated to full WBC champion recently after unified 175-pound champion Dmitry Bivol vacated the WBC title in April.
The announcement was made by Turki Alalshikh via social media.
Benavidez vs. Yarde will headline a Riyadh Season card in November, with an exact date to be announced
The venue for the light heavyweight championship bout has yet to be determined
Streaming info for the fight has not yet been announced.
Though Benavidez didn't get the stoppage win he was after, he still overwhelmed Morell offensively when they met in February. The former WBC super middleweight champion still seeks his first stoppage victory since he moved up to 175 pounds.
The Benavidez of old?Each of Benavidez's two contests at light heavyweight have gone to the judges' scorecards. Even after he won those bouts decisively, this has been a different version of "The Mexican Monster" from the one who dismantled his opponents at 168 pounds.
World title drought:"The Beast from the East" is 0-2 in world championship fights. After a TKO loss against then-WBC, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev in January 2023, Yarde has won four consecutive fights. He will present a tough challenge to Benavidez, as only three of his contests have gone the full distance.
The bottom line:A win over Yarde can set Benavidez up for a 175-pound undisputed championship clash in 2026. Unified light heavyweight champion, Dmitry Bivol, will meet Beterbiev in a trilogy match for the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titles later this fall.
Credit: Ryan Hafey/ Premier Boxing Champions
In David Benavidez's nearly 12-year professional career, he captured world championships in two weight classes: super middleweight and light heavyweight. He won the WBC title twice at 168 pounds before he moved up to 175 pounds. Here are some other key accolades "The Mexican Monster" has achieved during his career.
David Benavidez record:30-0, (24 knockouts)
Through 30 professional fights, Benavidez remains undefeated
Benavidez made his professional debut at age 17 in 2013, winning his first fight by first-round knockout.
In 2017, Benavidez became the youngest champion at 168 pounds in boxing history, at age 20.
He holds key victories over former world champions Anthony Direll, David Lemieux, Caleb Plant, and Demetrius Andrade.
The measure of a fighter's success is the dollars and cents they rack up during their professional career. David Benavidez's net worth is estimated to be around $3 million.
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