David Benavidez evidently is moving on, at least for now.
The 168-pound contender, who has coveted a showdown with Canelo Alvarez, reportedly has agreed to face 175-pound contender Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the “interim” WBC title in late spring or the summer, although the deal has not been finalized.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed on X that he has approved the matchup.
Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) presumably would not sign to fight Gvozdyk if Alvarez chooses to defend the undisputed 168-pound championship against his WBC mandatory challenger on May 4.
Samson Lewkowicz, Benavidez’s promoter, reportedly said that Premier Boxing Champions has indicated it would guarantee Alvarez $55 million to fight Benavidez, but so far the Mexican star hasn’t accepted the offer.
Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) appears to be a fall back opponent, although it would be an important matchup for Benavidez.
A victory over the 36-year-old Ukrainian would make Benavidez a mandatory challenger in two divisions, meaning he should be first in line to face Alvarez and in a good position to face the winner of the Dmitry Bivol-Artur Beterbiev fight for the undisputed 175-pound championship.
Benavidez would seem to be an ideal opponent for Alvarez in September, when the champion typically fights. Mexican Independence Day is Sept. 16.
Gvozdyk suffered his only loss against Beterbiev, a 10th-round knockout that cost him the WBC 175-pound belt in October 2019. He has defeated three journeymen since the setback.
He’s ranked No. 2 by the WBC, behind champion Beterbiev and No. 1 Joshua Buatsi.
Benavidez is one of the hottest fighters in the world, with consecutive victories over Caleb Plant (UD) and Demetrius Andrade (TKO 6) in his last two fights. He’s a former two-time 168-pound beltholder.
