David Benavidez finally got the signature victory at cruiserweight that had eluded him at 175, but his promoter says the focus has already shifted toward a fight with unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.
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Benavidez stopped Gilberto Ramirez last Saturday to capture the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles while keeping hold of his WBC light heavyweight belt. The win added another major name to Benavidez’s recent run after victories over David Morrell, Demetrius Andrade, and Caleb Plant.
Benavidez immediately pointed toward Bivol after the fight, and promoter Sampson Lewkowicz says that remains the target.
“The fight we want to go after is Bivol. This is what David wants,” Lewkowicz told BoxingScene.
Bivol returns May 30 against Michael Eifert in his first appearance since defeating Artur Beterbiev in their rematch last year. If Bivol keeps his titles and Benavidez stays unbeaten, the matchup could become a fight for the undisputed light heavyweight championship.
Lewkowicz made it clear, however, that Benavidez’s team does not intend to repeat the years-long pursuit they previously went through trying to secure a fight with Canelo Alvarez.
Benavidez spent years chasing Alvarez at super middleweight before eventually moving to 175 pounds in 2024, defeating Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his debut at the weight. Since then, his performances at light heavyweight and cruiserweight have strengthened his standing as one of boxing’s most aggressive pressure fighters.
“He will not wait like [he did for] Canelo for nothing; now he has his own legacy,” Lewkowicz said. “I believe Bivol, hopefully, isn’t another Canelo, but you never know.”
The 29-year-old Benavidez has become one of the sport’s biggest action attractions with his high-volume offense, hand speed, and durability, carrying successfully into heavier divisions. A fight against Bivol would give him a chance to add the remaining major belts at 175 pounds after years of being locked out of the Alvarez fight.
Last Updated on 2026/05/08 at 8:43 PM
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