“I think it would be in the future, once I can move up to 175 pounds. Right now, I feel very good at 168, and I’m going to be here for a while,” Munguia said to Fight Hub TV when asked about Benavidez as a possible opponent.
Later in the interview, Munguia was asked which name at 168 would be the most lucrative. He pointed directly to Benavidez.
“Without a doubt, the most lucrative and the biggest name would be David,” Munguia said.
The comments show Benavidez remains a major target for fighters around the super middleweight scene because of his profile and drawing power. Munguia, meanwhile, continues trying to rebuild his standing in the division and place himself back among the biggest available fights.
Benavidez is fighting for the Cruiserweight titles against Zurdo Ramirez this Saturday. He’s hunting for legacy in weight classes that Munguia won’t touch for years. Unless Munguia takes a massive risk and fights one of the top fighters at 168 like Osleys Iglesias or Christian Mbilli, Benavidez has zero reason to look back.
It’s doubtful that David Benavidez ever sees 168 lbs again. He’s spent years outgrowing the division, and his current trajectory is headed in the opposite direction.
Any future meeting would depend on both fighters continuing to win and operating in the same weight class, but Munguia made clear that Benavidez is still one of the names he wants most.
If Munguia gets past Armando Resendiz this Saturday on May 2, WBA mandatory Bektemir Melikuziev is next up. The chances of Munguia losing to Melikuziev are dangerously high, and that’s exactly why it seems odd to hear him talking about fighting Benavidez.
Read the full article here