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David Benavidez has officially become the WBC light heavyweight champion after Dmitry Bivol opted to vacate the title rather than fulfil his mandatory defence against the hard-hitting ‘Mexican Monster’.
Bivol’s vacation of the belt likely indicates that he will choose to fight Artur Beterbiev instead of Benavidez, in the third and final installment of their trilogy.
Both men hold one win over the other, so a third fight will be the deciding factor for light-heavyweight greatness.
The announcement, confirmed by Benavidez on Instagram, puts an unexpected yet significant twist on the light-heavyweight landscape:
“Just got the news that Bivol decided to vacate his title instead of fighting me,” Benavidez said.
“Now that makes me the WBC world champion at light heavyweight. This is not the ideal way for me to become a world champion, but nevertheless, I am now the WBC light heavyweight champion of the world, and I intend to put on the best fights.”
From Super Middleweight Star to Light Heavyweight King
Benavidez, 27, has long been regarded as one of the most avoided men in boxing. A WBC super middleweight champion, he first won the title in 2017 at just 20 years old, becoming the youngest 168-pound world champion in history, but was stripped after testing positive for drug use. Benavidez has never been beaten in the ring.
His aggressive style, high-volume punching, and iron chin have made him a nightmare for opponents and a favourite among fans. After failing to secure a mega-fight with undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez at super middleweight, Benavidez moved up to 175 pounds with the goal of conquering a new division.
Bivol, the long-reigning and technically brilliant former undisputed champion, had been ordered to defend his crown against Benavidez after his undisputed win over Beterbiev in their rematch.
Benavidez has already proven himself elite at 168. Now, at 175, he’s hungry to make a statement—and with Bivol out of the picture, the division just got a lot more interesting.
