Benavidez Targets Bivol’s Belts After Beating Zurdo In May

David Benavidez says he wants to face Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol after he challenges Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez for his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles in the first quarter of 2026 on May 2nd.

WBC light heavyweight champion Benavidez states that he prefers to face Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) because he holds the IBF, WBA, and WBO 175-lb titles. By beating him, Benavidez (31-0, 15 KOs) would become the undisputed champion and get pushed up higher in the pound-for-pound rankings.

Benavidez says he recognizes that boxing fans would enjoy watching him fight Artur Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) more because it would be a war. But he wants to capture the three titles Bivol holds. That may not happen soon or at all if Dmitry loses those belts in his trilogy against Beterbiev in early 2026.

If Benavidez can’t get either of those fights, he would be better off staying at cruiserweight because the division lacks big names. At least by staying at cruiserweight, he can face Jai Opetaia, then move up to heavyweight. He’s got the size to compete in that weight class. Benavidez says he rehydrated into the 190s for his defense against Anthony Yarde (27-4, 24 KOs) last Saturday night on November 22nd.

Benavidez demolished Yarde by a seventh-round knockout in their headliner on Ring IV at the ANB Arena in Riyadh.

“At light heavyweight, that’s the only thing that makes sense, Bivol and Beterbiev. Then we’ll see who else,” said David Benavidez to iFL TV when asked who he wants to fight after he challenges Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez for his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles on May 2, 2026.

Bivol and Beterbiev are late in their careers. Those are fights that Benavidez won’t receive a lot of credit for if he’s victorious against them. Bivol is 34 and coming off back surgery last August. Beterbiev is 40 and has been dealing with injury problems since 2024.

“Just for the title standpoint, I’d say Bivol. But I think the fight that people would enjoy more is Beterbiev. I’m here for the fans. If I tell the fans that I’m going to go to war, that’s exactly what I’m going to do,” said Benavidez about who he’d prefer to fight. “I want to be #1 pound-for-pound. I want to be in the same conversation as Usyk.”

It would be better if Benavidez skipped the fights with Beterbiev, Bivol, and Gilberto Ramirez to go after IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia. That would be the better option if he wants to be seen in the same light as Usyk.

“I’m comfortable with taking punches. I didn’t think he hit hard at all,” said Benavidez about Anthony Yarde last Saturday night. “Yeah, of course, if he had hit me with a clean shot, it would have been bad on my end. But I don’t think he hit hard.”

Benavidez got cut over his left eye, taking punches from Yarde in the sixth round. He was just letting Yarde hit him with shots, so it wasn’t a surprise that he eventually suffered a cut. In Benavidez’s last fight against David Morrell on February 1, 2025, he looked like he’d been run over by a steamroller at the end. His face looked worse than Morrell’s, who he beat by a 12-round unanimous decision.