“When I beat Bivol, I’m going to be the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world,” said Benavidez to Ariel Helwani.
“He’s definitely going to have to come see me after this fight [Michael Eifert]. All those belts are leaving with David Benavidez.”
The $20 Million Roadblock
Benavidez believes his win over Zurdo forces the issue, but he’s overlooking the financial gravity of the Bivol-Beterbiev rivalry. Bivol has already pocketed roughly $20 million across his last two fights with Artur Beterbiev.
For Bivol, the risk-reward ratio of fighting Benavidez right now makes zero sense. A third fight with Beterbiev is a guaranteed atmospheric payday, likely another $10 million+ check.
If Bivol fights Benavidez and loses, the interest and the massive purse for a Beterbiev trilogy evaporate instantly.
Bivol already easily beat Zurdo Ramirez years ago. In Bivol’s mind, Benavidez just cleared a hurdle Bivol jumped in 2022, but he didn’t break new ground.
A Division in a Holding Pattern
Benavidez is speaking as if Bivol is a target in a vacuum. In reality, the 35-year-old champion is managed by a strict calendar.
Bivol must face Michael Eifert on May 30 to keep his IBF strap. He’s coming off major back surgery for a herniated disc. At 35, the bounce-back time isn’t what it used to be.
By the time Benavidez could realistically get Bivol in the ring, likely 2027, he’ll be fighting a 36-year-old veteran with a surgically repaired back and the wear and tear of a Beterbiev trilogy.
Benavidez’s pressure and volume are elite, but his greatest weapon right now might be time. He is aiming at the right name, but the version of Bivol he eventually meets will be a shell of the current undisputed king.
Beating a name is one thing. Beating the prime version of that name is another. Benavidez is betting his legacy on a timeline that Bivol, the sanctioning bodies, and the Saudi financiers have no interest in accelerating.
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