“What I have to lose when I sign the fight will be 27 pounds. Then I’ll lose 20 during the training camp. Then the last week will be another 10,” Benavidez said. “By the time I get to fight week, I’ll cut about 10 pounds. You do everything right with the water manipulation, it comes out even.”
That total, around 50 pounds, drew immediate reaction, with some fans labeling it weight bullying. The number is what stands out, but the implication is bigger than the reaction. Losing that much weight to get down to 175 suggests that Benavidez would be better off fighting at cruiserweight or heavyweightl.
A fighter competing at 175 while walking around far above that mark changes how the division looks. It raises the question of whether opponents are facing a natural light heavyweight or someone arriving much larger after rehydration.
Benavidez has always been known for managing large cuts dating back to his time at 168. Moving up to light heavyweight was expected to ease that process, but it doesn’t sound that way based on what Benavidez says. Instead, his own explanation suggests the scale of the cut hasn’t changed as much as assumed.
He did not indicate any plans to move divisions again, and no opponent was tied to the comments. The focus stayed on the process itself. The number he gave is what will stay with people.
A fighter saying he removes 50 pounds before competing adds to the debate. If Benavidez moves up to cruiserweight on a permanent basis, he’d have less weight to cut, and his draining process would be less severe.
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