David Benavidez is set to move up to light-heavyweight to face Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June for the WBC interim belt and a shot at the WBC mandatory position for the winner of Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev, as announced by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman. This move, confirmed for a June return by Benavidez Sr., comes after Benavidez's promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, claimed that Al Haymon's PBC offered Canelo Alvarez a $55million purse to fight Benavidez, which was later denied by Canelo's team. The decision to move up was influenced by Canelo avoiding a fight that was anticipated last September. Benavidez, aiming to be WBC mandatory in both the light-heavyweight and super-middleweight divisions, has previously fought Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade. The fight against Gvozdyk is seen as Benavidez's initiative to not let his career stall waiting for a potential fight with Canelo Alvarez, especially after the failed negotiation for a fight that should have happened in September last year, with Benavidez's move up in weight largely blamed on Canelo's avoidance.
Canelo Fans Are In Damage Control Mode After Benavidez’s Move To 175 Is Blamed On Canelo’s Avoidance‼️ When Benavidez was at 168: -He’s too big. -He needs to go to 175. -He has to fight these people first. -Canelo doesn’t owe him anything. -Canelo can do what he wants. When… https://t.co/slkCEHcSdI
Canelo Alvarez’s team deny making incredible purse offer to fight David Benavidez https://t.co/BlHck9sf3y
Team Canelo have confirmed that they haven’t received any offers from Team Benavidez‼️
The People Are Calling Canelo Out & Demand That He Explain Himself‼️ “Canelo should come out and explain why he doesn't want to fight David Benavidez... Saúl continues doing whatever he wants!” -David Faitelson So the face of boxing needs an intervention & counseling in order… https://t.co/RNbL0e2s5p
Benavidez Sr. Confirms That He Accepted Canelo’s $5million Offer‼️ For whatever reason, Canelo fans are in denial about Benavidez doing all he could to make the fight happen just for him to be denied once again by the “face of boxing”… This is why David decided to move up to… https://t.co/tlmL3RVvaQ
BREAKING NEWS!! 📣📣 Jose Se has reveled that @Canelo @CANELOTEAM did in fact offer David a shot at undisputed and they TURNED IT DOWN!! Wow. After saying they will fight canelo for free because canelo was scared, turns out @SampsonBoxing is a lier and David is the duck. Shame. https://t.co/h37H2nCSN5
Canelo debería salir a explicar por qué no quiere pelear contra David Benavidez... ¡Saúl sigue haciendo lo que se le da la gana! 📹 Completo: https://t.co/CFjwj1uLkJ https://t.co/GaMvjAjY2M
Benavidez Preaching Patience Around ‘Scared’ Canelo Alvarez https://t.co/wTZVnGLQdv
The reason the fight not happening n vegas is because they don’t wanna affect Canelo ticket sales..
The reason the fight not happening n vegas is because they don’t wanna effect Canelo ticket sales..
This is a MGM Vegas fight, doing everything we can to bring this to Vegas and giving this fight what it deserves!!! It’s not happening at Barclays.
Reynoso Hits Back At Team Benavidez following Canelo Criticism https://t.co/sMDY9wV0Js
David Benavidez's promoter Sampson Lewkowicz has said Benavidez would be willing to return to super-middleweight to fight Canelo Alvarez in September after moving up to light-heavyweight to fight Oleksandr Gvozdyk next. He aims to be WBC mandatory in both divisions. [@DanRafael1]
Canelo Alvarez's trainer/manager Eddy Reynoso on David Benavidez: “I find it in very bad taste that they say that Canelo is afraid of him. I don't know how they dare to classify a fighter as fearful who did not hesitate to face Floyd Mayweather, who faced Miguel Cotto, who faced…
Canelo Alvarez' team deny making huge $55m offer for next fight https://t.co/BlHck9rHe0
David Benavidez will move up to light heavyweight for a June fight against Oleksandr Gvozdyk, he announced. While Benavidez waits for Canelo, he’ll put himself in position for a shot at Beterbiev or Bivol and the undisputed light heavyweight title. https://t.co/nQVTwX2PG0
𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: Unwilling to wait for others, David Benavidez elects to move to light-heavyweight and become a problem there instead. https://t.co/PtPwvjapeO
‼️ Canelo Alvarez's trainer/manager Eddy Reynoso has now denied that they have been offered a guaranteed purse of $55million by Al Haymon's PBC to fight David Benavidez next. Benavidez's promoter Sampson Lewkowicz made this claim, but has since deleted his post. [@ESPNmx]
#Boxing Notebook: @Benavidez300 won't wait for Canelo, will face Gvozdyk for interim 175 title; #HaneyGarcia site set; @ZurdoRamirezz lands cruiserweight title shot; Quick hits; Show & tell. Read & sign up for my newsletter: https://t.co/Mr5mM4a02h @SampsonBoxing @GoldenBoyBoxing https://t.co/BCC1QpM8GA
David Benavidez Will Be The Only American & Mexican In The Top 10 At 175‼️ Can we finally separate David from Canelo & support him on his mission to bring all the belts & Saudi money back to the west❓ #Boxing https://t.co/a1murLreI7
Column on David Benavidez signing to face Oleksandr Gvozdyk for an interim 175-pound belt. It doesn't rule out him facing Canelo Alvarez anyway, but it's complicated https://t.co/EMX5NUSvNN
Per @SampsonBoxing, Benavidez would return to 168, still as mandatory, after this hoping to fight Canelo in September. https://t.co/JNc8aVt9hC
Per @SampsonBoxing, bout agreement was signed Thursday for @Benavidez300 vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk to fight for the WBC interim 175 title "in early June." WBC annuonced it's approved the fight, which Benavidez would take assuming Canelo wont accept PBC's offer to fight him May 4.
‼️ David Benavidez’s promoter Sampson Lewkowicz has declared that Al Haymon’s PBC have now offered Canelo Alvarez a guaranteed purse of $55million to fight Benavidez next, who will be moving up to light-heavyweight to fight Oleksandr Gvozdyk instead if he turns it down.
David Benavidez is not letting his career stall for one second to wait for a potential Canelo Alvarez payday. Instead he's making his own path by fighting Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade and now Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
David Benavidez confirming on Instagram today that he will be moving up to light-heavyweight vs Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his next fight in June… https://t.co/KxGagdWfTo
Incredibly disappointing news. Is that the end of any Canelo-Benavidez fight hopes? #boxing https://t.co/C01cJV7Tsz
Benavidez and Gvozdyk Will Clash for Interim WBC Light Heavyweight Title. https://t.co/8LUYgOzvca https://t.co/gYvxNKkhSA
David Benavidez is moving up to light heavyweight to fight Oleksandr Gvozdyk 🥊 (via: @MichaelBensonn) https://t.co/jjdOFUBqTY
If David Benavidez moves to 175, he beats the winner of Beterbiev/Bivol if he lands that fight. Beterbiev and Bivol are bad boys. But Benavidez is entering his prime and will be even better at 175. Has more firepower than Bivol and is faster/younger than Beterbiev. #Boxing
Official & Final Poll‼️ Now that the Canelo vs Benavidez will never happen, did Canelo duck David❓ #Boxing
Canelo vs Beterbiev Will Never Happen‼️ Due to Canelo avoiding the fight that should have happened September last year, David Benavidez has officially decided to move up to 175 for a potential opportunity at undisputed.. Benavidez is stepping into one of the Saudi’s… https://t.co/j3c62hBU0y
‼️ David Benavidez is set to move up to light-heavyweight for his next fight and will face Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June for the WBC ‘interim’ belt and WBC mandatory position for the Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev winner, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has announced.
Very proud to announce a sensational fight which the @WBCBoxing has approved to sanction for the interim Lightheavyweight championship Benavidez vs Gvozdyk . Wish the best of luck for both champions @Benavidez300 vs @AlexandrGvozdyk @TGBpromotions @premierboxing
David Benavidez Moves To 175 For Beterbiev Fight❓ According to Ernesto Amador, Benavidez could very well be facing former champion Aleksandr Gvozdyk in June for the WBC Interim title..(Benavidez Sr. confirmed a June return) Beterbiev is currently the full WBC Champion at 175… https://t.co/rqIEw0SkyT
¡Extra, extra, extra! #DavidBenavidez vs #AleksandrGvozdyk por el interino @WBCBoxing en junio. @Benavidez300 @AlexandrGvozdyk https://t.co/BlN9M2MNXf