David Benavidez has shifted his focus from pursuing a fight with Canelo Alvarez and is now preparing for his light heavyweight debut against Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June 15.
Despite being the WBC mandatory challenger for Alvarez’s super middleweight title for several years, Benavidez expressed frustration at not securing the fight and decided to make a move up in weight class.
During the first press conference ahead of his clash with Gvozdyk on May 4, Benavidez explained his decision to transition to the light heavyweight division, stating that he had achieved everything possible at 168 pounds and had been unable to secure the desired fight with Alvarez despite his mandatory status.
“I did everything I can do at 168 [pounds]. I’ve been there for ten years, the only other thing I had to achieve was fighting for the unified world titles. And Canelo Alvarez is holding all of them. So he doesn’t want to give me the fight,” Benavidez remarked, expressing his determination to carve out a path in the 175-pound division.
Regarding potential matchups for Alvarez, Shawn Porter weighed in, suggesting that Terence Crawford deserves a shot at Alvarez more than David Benavidez. Porter emphasized Crawford’s accomplishments, including becoming a former undisputed welterweight champion and recently moving up to light middleweight.
“The two fighters right now who deserve a fight with Canelo Alvarez: Terence Crawford, one, and then David Benavidez, two. Terence has just done it all, he’s really earned it,” Porter stated, highlighting Crawford’s credentials as a deserving challenger for Alvarez.
As Benavidez shifts his focus to the light heavyweight division and awaits his upcoming bout against Gvozdyk, the boxing world continues to speculate on potential opponents for Alvarez, with Crawford emerging as a top contender based on his impressive career achievements.