David Benavidez understands as well as any boxer how frustrating it is to be avoided by a champion in a more prominent position.
Now that he is a marked man in the light heavyweight division, Benavidez is completely committed to taking risky fights, even versus lesser-known opponents fans want to see him face. Benavidez already showed such willingness when he beat
previously undefeated David Morrell by unanimous decision eight months ago in Las Vegas.
The Phoenix native wanted to challenge undisputed light heavyweight champ
Dmitry Bivol after he beat Morrell. Bivol
surrendered his WBC 175-pound crown to Benavidez rather than making a mandated defense against him.
Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) will likely face rival
Artur Beterbiev for the third time
once he recovers from back surgery. Benavidez embraced a dangerous alternative.
Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) and fellow former unified champ Sergey Kovalev have stopped
Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs). The British contender can punch, though, and is motivated to revive his career by upsetting Benavidez in the main event of “The Ring IV” on November 22 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
That’s fine by Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs), who explained his matchmaking philosophy during a recent appearance on “Inside The Ring,” co-hosted by Max Kellerman and Mike Coppinger.
“The good thing about me and David Benavidez’s stock, we have a lotta great fights on the table,” Benavidez said. “You guys know I’m gonna take every single one of ‘em. I’m not gonna run from anything, because at the end of the day this is my destiny. If it’s my destiny to go through these hard fights, and win these world titles, that’s what Imma do. This is what boxing is about.
“I’m sick of seeing fighters getting the easiest fights, just because they’re getting the biggest paychecks. It's not even about money. It’s about giving the fans of boxing the fights they deserve. They’re paying the money at the end of the day … let’s go to war. Let’s do what these people wanna see us do, go to war and may the best man win.”
Benavidez, 28, is a 10-1 favorite to defeat Yarde, 34, in their 12-round fight according to DraftKings.
The Ring ranks Benavidez as its No. 2 contender for Bivol’s title. Yarde is ranked fourth in The Ring’s top 10, behind Beterbiev, Benavidez and another Brit, Callum Smith (31-2, 22 KOs),
the opponent Benavidez believed he’d fight November 22 before Yarde’s handlers accepted Turki Alalshikh’s offer.
DAZN will stream Benavidez-Yarde following a compelling co-feature in which former undisputed lightweight champ
Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) will challenge WBO welterweight beltholder
Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs, 1 NC).
Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing.