David Benavidez made an enthralling debut in the light heavyweight division by defeating former champion, Oleksandr Gvozdyk. The win allowed him to claim the WBC interim light heavyweight title. Moreover, he was also the youngest 2 time WBC super middleweight champion. One person who would not be surprised by his ascent would be UFC CEO, Dana White.
The UFC head honcho first met Benavidez when the boxer was only 13 years old. Even then, the boxer was brimming with confidence as he proclaimed he would be a world champion one day. These words stuck with White as he shared this story via Instagram in the aftermath of Benavidez’s recent victory. In the Instagram story, we can see a very young, almost unrecognizable Benavidez with his arm around White.
I met @benavidez300 when he was 13 and he told me he would be a world champion. Love this kind of Sh*t. #manifesting.
Dana White via Instagram story
Benavidez certainly stayed true to his word as he is already a multiple-time world champion in different weight classes. Moreover, the boxer is still just 27 years old. In his first fight at light heavyweight, he took on a considerably older Gvozdyk, who is 37. However, his opponent was a former Olympian and a world champion. This made things hard for Benavidez, who was still able to overcome the Ukranian with constant pressure.
Benavidez constantly pushed forward and landed more significant strikes than his opponent for the majority of the bout. However, despite taking a lot of the shots, Gvozdyk never looked in fear of being knocked down. This may suggest that Benavidez’s power has not translated into the heavier weight class just yet. After the victory, the boxer appeared fluid in his approach and suggested that he might move weight classes again. It is no secret that Benavidez has been gunning for Canelo Alvarez. However, he is willing to move forward with or without that fight.
What next for David Benavidez?
Canelo Alvarez has time and again denied having a real reason to fight Benavidez. The Mexican believes he has nothing left to prove in the world of boxing. As such, despite the fans clamoring for a showdown between the two, Alvarez remains defiant. Benavidez too has picked up on this sentiment, which might have played a role in his decision to move up weight classes.
David Benavidez (Via Marca)However, if the opportunity does present itself to take on the Mexican phenomenon, the American would pounce on it in a jiffy. However, that seems like a distant dream for now. As such, he may be best advised to take on some other juggernauts in his new division. Artur Beterbiev and Dimitry Bivol would welcome his challenge with open arms. This could happen after they are done with their showdown later in the year.
As such, Benavidez has positioned himself in a favorable position to take on some of the best fighters in the world. Currently, he would like to recover from his hard-fought win against the Ukranian, and also heal some injuries he picked up in training.
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