David Benavidez, the super middleweight boxer, has a marquee pay-per-view fight against undefeated 2008 U.S. Olympian and two-division world champion, Demetrius Andrade on November 25th, serving as one of the last Showtime pay-per-view events of the year.
In the build-up to his fight with Andrade, Benavidez has expressed an interest beyond just wanting to face Canelo Alvarez, but to move up to the light heavyweight division and face WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol once he feels he's accomplished all he can at the super middleweight division. Bivol defeated Canelo Alvarez and Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez in 2022 but looks to be on the shelf for all of 2023, with a rather disappointing following up to a marquee year.
"After I’m done with 168, I’m going up to 175, and that’s the first fight I want. I want Bivol at 175,” said David Benavidez to ESNEWS. “We had some great sparring sessions. He’s a great boxer. I’m really competitive. I want to be the best. When I was young and fat, everyone said I wasn’t going to be nothing, and that’s where the fighting spirit comes from."
Benavidez, who holds an impressive record of 27-0 with 23 knockouts, has spent the past couple of years trying to land a Canelo Alvarez fight. So far it hasn't happened, but with a win in November, the bout becomes closer to a reality.
“I feel Canelo needs challenges from a strong fighter from his weight class," said Benavidez. "The only one left is me. I’m making my own lane. I’m trying to achieve my own greatness, and the only way I do that is by fighting great fighters like Demetrius."
In his upcoming fight next month, Benavidez will defend his WBC interim super middleweight title, the hope seems to be to not just win, but to get the fight mandated by the WBC in 2024 which could force a Canelo Alvarez fight in May of 2024...that is in a perfect world. Yet, Benavidez is massive for the super middleweight division, and it seems that he might only have a couple of fights at most left in the division. Yet, the idea to fight Andrade was simple - Benavidez wants legacy and greatness.
“People don’t believe in themselves," said Benavidez. "If you’re ducking a fighter, it’s for a reason...with Demetrius, he’s a great fighter, and he hasn’t had an opportunity to shine."
Regardless of what comes after Benavidez, it is clear Benavidez wants the same fights that the fans want to see. Benavidez is eagerly awaiting match-ups that improve his legacy in the sport of boxing. Calling out or stating an ambition to fight Dmitry Bivol at light heavyweight signals his relentless pursuit of greatness as Bivol isn't called out by anyone and according to his co-promoter Eddie Hearn is a tough person to match up.
That being said, Benavidez has to win a tough gruelling fight that occurs two days after Thanksgiving for any of this to happen.
