By: Hans Themistode
David Benavidez has admitted his mistakes and vowed never to make them again.
After seeing both of his super-middleweight championships come to an end because of external circumstances, Benavidez believes he’s learned his lesson. Shortly after winning the 168-pound WBC title against Ronald Gavril in 2017 and defending the crown against him the following year, Benavidez was stripped of his title due to a positive test for cocaine.
While Benavidez will effectively work his way back into the ranks and crowned champion again in 2019, he has been stripped of his champion title on the scale due to his failure to reach the limit. 168-pound limit ahead of Roamer Alexis Angulo. Since then, Canelo Alvarez has gone on to win Benavidez’s world champion title, along with every other title at 168 pounds.
Although the now 25-year-old has urged Alvarez to face him, he will be forced to choose a different path. With Alvarez set to face the winner between Ilunga Makabu and Thabiso Mchunu for the cruiser WBC crown, WBC sanctioning body will pit their two highest-ranked candidates against each other for the title. temporary title.
“The WBC has granted Saul Alvarez a special right to challenge the WBC champion in the calendar week division in 2022,” WBC said in a written statement. “For that reason, the Board of Governors approved the WBC interim championship in the division to be contested by #1 David Benavidez and #2 David Lemieux.”
Benavidez, a native of Phoenix, Arizona, has had two straight knockout wins since he was stripped of his title. 2021 is especially good for the 25-year-old, as he makes things look super easy against both Ronald Ellis and Kyrone Davis.
As for Lemieux, the former 160-pound belt holder has found plenty of success since switching to the weight division in 2019. The 32-year-old watched on home court in his new weight class, stopping two opponents. his most recent, including David Zegarra, an outfielder Lemieux was easily knocked down in the second round earlier this year.
