Coach Jose Benavidez Sr. says his son, former two-time WBC 168-lb champion David Benavidez is open to fighting either Dmitry Bivol or Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez at 175.
Jose Sr. says Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) wouldn’t run from fighting someone because of their “nationality’ like Canelo Alvarez, who recently said he won’t fight other Mexican fighters.
Benavidez will be fighting in November or December against a still-to-be-determined opponent.
With undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo saying he won’t fight other Mexicans, that puts Benavidez in a tough spot, as he’s his WBC mandatory at 168.
If Canelo isn’t going to fight him and can’t be forced by the World Boxing Council, it might be a good idea for Benavidez to move up to 175 to go after fights against WBA champion Bivol (21-0, 10 KOs), IBF/WBC/WBO champion Artur Beterbiev and Gilberto Ramirez.
It could be a waste of Benavidez’s time for him to stay at 168, as the only popular fighter in the division is Canelo, and he’s now made it clear that he won’t fight other Mexicans. That leaves Benavidez without a big fight in the weight class.
Unfortunately, the odds of Jermall Charlo or Gennadiy Golovkin electing to fight Benavidez are slim & none. Neither of those guys are going to want to take a risky fight against Benavidez and potentially get knocked out.
“These are great champions and good warriors,” said Benavidez Sr. to Fighthype, talking about the November 5th fight between Dmitry Bivol and Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez.
“It’s going to be a good fight. Both of them have a lot of experience, but if we were to fight at 175, we’d fight anybody. Zurdo Ramirez or Bivol. That’s a fight that people want to see. Why not?
“We’re not like Canelo, running because of the nationality. We’re fighters, we’re here to show our best and here to show what we’re made of, and we’ll fight anybody.
“Both of them are very dangerous. It’s going to be a good fight. We’ll see the day of the fight. I don’t know who I’m picking because we sparred both of them are great friends.
“If we were to fight them, we’d fight them. I think it’s going to be a good fight. I don’t know who is going to win because they’ve got different styles. Whoever shows up on the day of the fight is going to be victorious,” said Benavidez Sr.
