Some fights, some match-ups, they just jump right out at you when they are mentioned as a real possibility. One such fight is a 175 pound rumble – and it would be a rumble, maybe an all-out war – between David Benavidez and Callum Smith. And Eddie Hearn, who spoke with Fight Hype last night, confirmed that an offer has been sent over from PBC for Smith to get it on with “The Mexican Monster.”
Yes please is all we can say with regards to this fight, a seemingly guaranteed action fight.
A blockbuster 175 showdown emerges
“We’ve had an offer from PBC, for Callum Smith to fight Benavidez, we’re negotiating with them at the moment,” Hearn said. “It’s a great fight. We all know that Benavidez is a great fighter, it’s not an easy fight at all. Callum was the Ring Magazine champion at 168 pounds, he’d love another shot at the title. There’s no easy championship at 175 – you’ve got [Dmitry] Bivol or Benavidez, so there is a very good chance that Callum will take that fight with Benavidez. We’ll be making our decision over the next one or two weeks. Yeah [the fight would take place in the US.]”
Power, pride and Punisher-style drama
Let’s hope Smith has been presented with a good offer, a realistic offer, and that this fight does happen. Smith looked good last time out in beating Joshua Buatsi in a great, fan-friendly battle, whereas Benavidez, 30-0(24) has yet to be in anything approaching a dull fight, and Benavidez is coming off that big and impressive win over David Morrell.
Later this year, maybe in Las Vegas, maybe in Los Angeles, Benavidez and Smith will meet, and very possibly give us a Fight of the Year contender. Benavidez, in his prime at age 28, would no doubt be made the favourite to win, but Smith, even at age 35, showed us all how tough and dangerous a fighter he still is in February.
Can Benavidez stop Smith, the way Artur Beterbiev managed to do in January of 2024, or would he have to fight all the way to the final bell? Or would Smith, 31-2(22) score what would have to be looked at as the biggest win of his career by handing Benavidez his first loss?
Again, let the powers that be make this one happen!