David Benavidez Moves Up to Light Heavyweight, Agrees to Fight Oleksandr Gvozdyk
June 7, 2023 – After giving up on a highly anticipated showdown with undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, David Benavidez has decided to make the move up to light heavyweight. Benavidez will face off against former WBC light heavyweight titleholder Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, serving as the co-main event to the Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin bout.
The 27-year-old Benavidez had long been considered one of the top contenders to challenge Alvarez, the division’s reigning king. However, with Alvarez set to defend his titles against Jaime Munguia this Saturday and the expectation that Edgar Berlanga will be his next challenger, Benavidez has opted to move up in weight class in search of new opportunities.
“This was the right time to move up because I did everything I could do at 168,” Benavidez explained. “I’ve been there for 10 years. The only thing I had to achieve was fighting for the unified world titles, and Canelo Alvarez is holding all of them. He doesn’t want to give me the fight; I’ve been mandatory for the past three years, I’ve done everything I could do to get that fight. I still haven’t got it, so I’m not gonna wait around for nobody.”
Benavidez’s clash with Gvozdyk, 37, will mark the 100th fight night at the iconic MGM Grand. The Ukrainian fighter, who suffered a stoppage defeat against Artur Beterbiev in 2019, is eager to seize this opportunity and prove his worth against one of the rising stars in the sport.
“It feels great. This was my goal, when I came back – this kind of fight was [the] goal of my comeback,” Gvozdyk said. “It means a lot to me – people are going to know that Ukrainians are strong and brave people.”
Benavidez, who most recently stopped the previously undefeated Demetrius Andrade in November, is confident in his ability to capture another title at the light heavyweight division, with his sights set on an eventual showdown with the winner of the rearranged fight between Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
“My goal is to become unified champion at 175 and just reign there, and maybe go up to cruiserweight,” Benavidez stated. “I still have a lot to grow – I’m 27 years old – and I’m still doing a lot in the sport, so I want to accomplish the dreams I set out for myself when I was a little kid.”
🔗 Source
