David Benavidez, Ryan Garcia have everything they want by staying home

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – David Benavidez and Ryan Garcia have been the burning unknowns in boxing’s version of the “hot stove league,” with free agency looming for both marquee fighters and rival promoters certainly interested in signing them.

At Wednesday’s news conference for the widely promoted Dec. 5 DAZN card topped by Benavidez’s cruiserweight unification in Arizona, however, the notion that both fighters may be staying put took hold.

“I’d like to be with PBC,” three-division champion Benavidez, 32-0 (26 KOs), told BoxingScene of his current fight-event promotion headed by powerful advisor Al Haymon.

WBO and WBA titleholder Benavidez, 29, will headline the December card as a prohibitive betting favorite in a three-belt cruiserweight bout against new WBC belt holder Michal Cieslak, 28-2 (22 KOs), at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

From there, Benavidez has already laid out a three-fight schedule he seeks against recent IBF cruiserweight titlist Jai Opetaia, former undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and former cruiserweight and heavyweight undisputed Oleksandr Usyk.

It was the Opetaia fight, the fact that the Australian is signed to the new Zuffa Boxing promotion and the fact that Zuffa head Dana White is so enamored with Benavidez that fueled speculation Zuffa will break the bank in pursuit of Benavidez.

And WBC welterweight titleholder Garcia’s September knockout of Zuffa fighter Conor Benn heightened the theory that White, enriched by powerful Saudi Arabia boxing financier Turki Alalshikh’s 60 percent ownership stake in the company and a lucrative streaming deal with Paramount+, will work to swipe Garcia from rival promoter Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions.

But last week, unbeaten four-division champion Shakur Stevenson asked for and received his release from Zuffa Boxing over failed efforts to stage fights against record eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao and unbeaten three-division champion Devin Haney.

Stevenson, the WBO 140lbs belt holder, is now in talks with DAZN.

And then Haney closed the week by rebuffing Zuffa overtures to sign a multifight deal with DAZN as a possible long-awaited rematch and potential undisputed welterweight title fight with Garcia looms later in 2027.

De La Hoya addressed the positions of both Benavidez and Garcia after confirming to BoxingScene that he’s working on a February welterweight unification between Garcia and WBA titlist Teofimo Lopez Jr. in February.

“David Benavidez is a loyal fighter … he’s not leaving PBC,” De La Hoya said. “He loves fighting for PBC, loves fighting for [promoter] Sampson Lewkowicz and Al Haymon, who gave him everything and built him. He is not going anywhere.”

De La Hoya and White have exchanged yearslong barbs, and De La Hoya is not impressed with the UFC boss’ foray into the sweet science.

“Zuffa Boxing is not what David Benavidez represents, trust me,” De La Hoya said. “David Benavidez does not want to fight for the Zuffa unicorn belt. It means nothing.

“The fact that all of the [best] opponents and champions are with DAZN. It makes everything easier for David’s career.”

Same with Garcia, said De La Hoya, after Lopez previously signed a multifight agreement with DAZN.

“You never know what’s going to happen,” De La Hoya said coyly of Garcia’s intended plans. “We have one fight with Ryan Garcia – the possibility of fighting Teofimo Lopez in Las Vegas. I don’t see Ryan Garcia going to Dana White and Zuffa Boxing. And fight who? And do what?

“Ryan Garcia wants to become a legend. You’re never going to become a legend in Zuffa Boxing.”

When reminded that Haney, 33-0 (15 KOs), is signed to DAZN, seeking his own welterweight unification against Liam Paro, De La Hoya said, “Exactly. That’s my point. All the stars are aligning for DAZN to be the global home of boxing, and DAZN understands the best have to fight the best.”

Certainly, that’s what Phoenix’s Benavidez wants after his Arizona homecoming.

“What makes me excited is that all [the promoters] are excited to work with me to make the biggest fights possible,” Benavidez said. “This is why I’m a boxer – to give the fans what they want to see. I’ve got my wish list … it don’t get better than that. I really want to deliver these fights to the people, and we’re going to make it happen.”

Benavidez said he appreciated PBC’s past willingness to let him fight Anthony Yarde for Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season.

“We’re able to move around, and the promotional companies, at the end of the day, they work for us,” Benavidez said. “Whatever we want to do, it’s in their best interest to make it happen for us. I’m asking for something everyone wants, and it’s in the sport’s best interest to make it happen.”