Benavidez Sets His Sights on 175 Pounds

David Benavidez is determined to remain at light heavyweight, where he says he feels at his physical and mental peak. The former two-time WBC super middleweight champion had a dominant run at 168 pounds, but after failing to secure the long-awaited showdown with Saul “Canelo” Álvarez, he made the move up in weight. Now, his focus is on establishing himself as one of the kings of the light heavyweight division and leaving his mark by facing the best fighters available.

“Let Crawford Breathe”

In a recent interview with Inside The Ring, Benavidez was straightforward when asked about a possible return to 168 pounds to face Terence “Bud” Crawford, who recently dethroned Canelo Álvarez in a historic fight.

“To be honest with you, let Terence Crawford live. That’s his division,” the Mexican-American star said. “I lost interest in 168 a long time ago. I know they could offer us a lot of money to go back down, but I just feel so much better at 175.”

With this statement, Benavidez puts the rumors to rest and makes it clear that he has no plans to cut weight for a super-fight in a division he once ruled.

Targets Locked

Instead of looking back, Benavidez is focused on what lies ahead: names like Artur Beterbiev, Dmitry Bivol, and Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez are firmly on his radar. “I want to test myself against the very best,” he said. His next test will come on November 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, when he faces Anthony Yarde in the main event of The Ring IV — a bout that promises fireworks and a brutal clash of styles.

Respect for Crawford

While ruling out a fight with him, Benavidez did not hold back on praising the undisputed super middleweight champion. “I want to give major props to Terence Crawford. He’s accomplished something that very few fighters could ever dream of moving up two weight classes and beating one of the best of this generation,” he said. Benavidez also emphasized that Crawford deserves to be considered one of the greatest of all time and a true example of resilience and heart for the boxing world.