David Benavidez Eyes Beterbiev-Bivol Winner After Yarde—Could “The Mexican Monster” Go For Cruiserweight Gold Next?

avid Benavidez has a potentially tough assignment to take care of in November, when he will rumble with Britain’s Anthony Yarde, who is a former two-time world title challenger. But the reigning WBC light heavyweight champion is looking ahead. And “The Mexican Monster” is thinking big. Benavidez, a fighter the likes of which we need more today, in as much as he wants all the top names and all the big fights he can get his hands on, spoke with Talk Sport, and the unbeaten 28 year old made it clear what his priority is: to unify the world titles at 175 pounds.

Assuming he gets past the 27-3(24) Yarde, and the defending champion is quite heavily favoured to do so, Benavidez then wants the winner of the Artur Beterbiev–Dmitry Bivol rubber match (this a fight we seem to have been waiting on for quite some time, what with Bivol currently being out with an injury). But if he cannot get that fight, Benavidez, 30-0(24) says he would move up to challenge two-belt cruiserweight ruler Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez if the fight was offered to him. But it would not be a permanent move to 200 pounds. Benavidez says he would definitely move back down to 175 after fighting Ramirez.

“I Want to Unify the Belts at 175”

“I don’t know [if I will fight the winner of Bivol-Beterbiev III]. At the end of the day, I have just got to keep doing what I am doing,” Benavidez said. “Keep winning these fights and try to fight the best opponents available. After this fight with Anthony Yarde, it is very possible that we can make a fight happen with Zurdo Ramirez if we can’t get the winner of Bivol and Beterbiev. I want to defend my 175 pound titles for a long time but if there is an opportunity to move up to cruiserweight and capture two more belts, why would I not take that opportunity? I would definitely go up, but I would definitely come back down because my focus is unifying the belts at 175.”

Could Benavidez Become a Three-Weight World Champion?

It would be awesome to see Benavidez go to war with either Beterbiev or Bivol, while it would also be special seeing Benavidez slug it out with Ramirez up a weight division. And maybe Benavidez beats either Beterbiev or Bivol, and Ramirez. What price Benavidez, if he’s given the opportunity, ends 2026 as a three-weight world champion (Benavidez having reigned as the WBC super middleweight champion before moving up to 175), and as the unified light heavyweight king?