David Benavidez seeks to be the first man to KO fellow champion as ‘legacy’ fight being finalised

When David Benavidez announced a move up to the cruiserweight division, he had said he would return to light-heavyweight and defend his WBC title soon after, but a stellar performance has made it clear he can stick at 200lbs.

Having held titles at both super-middleweight and light-heavyweight, Benavidez sought to join Badou Jack as the only man to have reigned in all three of those divisions, taking on WBA and WBO unified champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez in a daring title bid.

Come fight night, ‘The Mexican Monster’ showed that not only does his power translate to the cruiserweight division, but his speed does too, dominating the affair to produce an emphatic sixth-round stoppage win.

Ever since, fans have been left debating whether Benavidez should return to light-heavyweight and take on pound-for-pound rivals, Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, or remain in the cruiserweight division – which could turn out to be his optimal weight.

It seems as though the 29-year-old has now made up his mind, at least for the foreseeable, with reports suggesting that the Phoenix-born star is now finalising talks for a three-belt unification with WBC cruiserweight world champion Noel Mikaelian, thus opting to remain at cruiserweight.

A two-time champion, Mikaelian reclaimed his WBC world title when he avenged a controversial defeat to Jack last year. The Armenian-German has never been stopped and is the only other current world champion in the cruiserweight division, after the IBF stripped Jai Opetaia of their title earlier this year.

Still, Opetaia has been another opponent who fans are desperate for Benavidez to take on, but speaking with Boxing Scene, Benavidez’s manager Sampson Lewkowicz explained the decision to pursue Mikaelian instead. 

“We’re not fighting for trophies. We want titles. We want the legacy for Benavidez, Opetaia has nothing [for us] besides making a good fight.”

Lewkowicz also confirmed that a deal ‘is expected to be reached shortly’ following talks with Don King, promoter of Mikaelian, yesterday morning.