David Benavidez has agreed not to face Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and move to light heavyweight.
After stopping undefeated Demetrius Andrade at 168 pounds in November, Benavidez will face Oleksandr Gvozdyk on the undercard of Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin on June 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The fight between Benavidez and undisputed super middleweight champion Alvarez, who is scheduled to defend his title against Jaime Munguia at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night, could take place in any weight class. It is considered one of the most important matches.
Alvarez apparently has no interest in fighting him, and with the expectation that Edgar Berlanga will challenge him next, Benavidez will move up in weight and face a future with the winner of the bout between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. There is still a possibility of securing a favorable date. To be relocated.
It is understood that Benavidez has just 10 days from June 15 to decide on his next move – he is the mandatory challenger to Alvarez's WBC title – and that Beterbiev Due to the injury he sustained, he may be given a chance to win sooner than expected. Challenge for title at 175 pounds.
“I'd done everything I could at 168, so it was the perfect time to step up,” Benavidez said. “I've been there 10 years. The only thing I had to accomplish was fight for a unified world title, and Canelo Alvarez holds all of that. He's my I don't want to give the fight away because for the last three years I've been playing on duty and I've done everything I can to win that fight. I [going to] I went to 175 to make my own lane and that's exactly what I'm doing.
“My goal is to be the unified champion at 175 and reign there and maybe move up to cruiserweight. I'm still 27 years old and have a lot of growing to do and a lot of work to do in this sport. . Therefore, I want to realize the dream I set for myself when I was young.
“This is a dream come true for me. I've always wanted to fight on a card with Gervonta Davis and now that I'm ready, this is going to be the biggest card of the year. I'm very excited. I have a tough, tough opponent in front of me. He only lost one to Artur Beterbiev, so my job is set for June 15th, but I'm going there. I – I feel strong, I feel great, and I'm going to win another title.
“It’s my 100th fight, so [night] A dream come true at the MGM Grand. It couldn't have been better. Gervonta Davis will be the headliner. I'm the co-main event. I'm very excited about this. ”
Mr. Gvozdyk, 37, is 10 years older than Mr. Benavidez. This will be their fourth match since October 2019, when they lost to Beterbiev in overtime and went on hiatus for more than three years.
Gvozdyk said: “I'm very excited to have the chance to be here again and fight for the title again against a top opponent. I'll do my best not to let everyone down.” “We are going to put on a great show on June 15th.
“It feels so good. When I came back, this was my goal – this kind of fight [the] My return goal. It means a lot to me. People will know that Ukrainians are strong and brave people.
“It’s a very tough place to be in the ring with him,” Gvozdyk said of Benavidez. “He always applies relentless pressure. He's a very good fighter and a very good puncher. I consider him one of the best fighters. That's a big challenge.”