David Benavidez could beat the current version of Tyson Fury, according to Argentine boxing commentator Fernando Sabatini, who doubled down on the claim after being challenged over the huge size difference.
Benavidez has surged into the heavyweight conversation after moving up to cruiserweight and destroying Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in six rounds.
The performance was so dominant that former two-time cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham has already told World Boxing News he wants to see Benavidez challenge Oleksandr Usyk at heavyweight.
Sabatini has now gone one step further by naming Fury.
“I’ll say it again: Benavidez could beat today’s Fury,” Sabatini stated in comments translated from Spanish.
When another boxing fan suggested Benavidez should stick to Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, Sabatini pointed directly to his move to 200 pounds.
“Benavidez is at cruiserweight and fought weighing over 200 pounds. Let’s not kid ourselves. Against Bivol, count him out.”
Challenged again over whether he was taking the argument too far, Sabatini replied: “Too much? How are Fury and Usyk today?”
David Benavidez in Destructive Form
The argument becomes far less outrageous when looking at the current versions of both fighters.
Benavidez is in the most destructive form of his career, having jumped to cruiserweight and ripped two world titles from Ramirez in a one-sided beating.
Ramirez had been established at 200 pounds before Benavidez stepped up and dismantled him, dropping the Mexican and forcing a sixth-round stoppage.
The obvious concern against Fury would be size and movement. The former heavyweight champion stands 6ft 9ins and has spent his entire career competing against men far bigger than Benavidez.
However, Sabatini specifically said “today’s Fury,” and that distinction is important.
Fury has noticeably declined after years at the top of the heavyweight division and the punishment accumulated along the way.
The Briton went through three fights with Deontay Wilder and had the seven bells knocked out of him at times by “The Bronze Bomber.”
Fury was dropped four times across the trilogy and somehow climbed off the canvas in the twelfth round of their first fight after appearing to be completely out.
He then endured two tough fights with Usyk, losing both before returning to defeat Arslanbek Makhmudov on points in April.
This is not the unbeaten Fury who dethroned Wladimir Klitschko or the fighter who battered Wilder in their second meeting.
Sabatini is looking at Benavidez now and Fury now.
Heavyweight Talk Grows Around Benavidez
The idea of Benavidez fighting at heavyweight is no longer confined to social media fantasy matchups.
PBC placed Usyk on a “Who’s Next?” shortlist following the Ramirez victory, while Cunningham told WBN that Benavidez had already shown enough to challenge the former undisputed heavyweight champion.
“Yes, that’s a fight I wanna see. It would be a great show of skill from both,” Cunningham stated in the interview.
“Benavidez always comes in shape ready to go and make it happen. Usyk as well, so this would be a dream matchup.”
Benavidez has gone from super middleweight to light heavyweight and cruiserweight without losing his unbeaten record or the destructive style that earned him “The Mexican Monster” nickname.
At this point in time, Sabatini certainly has a good point to make about Fury.
Boxing fans will sadly never find out, though, as Fury cashes out his career with two fights against another declining heavyweight in British rival Anthony Joshua.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
