David Benavidez has no shortage of HUGE fights on his radar. In an exclusive interview with BoxingScene, Jose Benavidez Sr. makes it clear that David still wants the biggest names at 175lbs including Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev. Benavidez has previously said those are two fights he wants to make as he pursues more titles and major challenges. But there’s another name that could make things very interesting: Andy Ruiz Jr. Jose discusses the possibility of an all-Mexican showdown between Benavidez and the former heavyweight champion, along with David’s plans across multiple divisions. And with a potential Jai Opetaia showdown also building after the pair came face-to-face following Opetaia’s latest victory, Benavidez has some massive options ahead.
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Albert Bell is the No. 1 contender for the WBO super featherweight title and hopes his next fight is for championship.
Bell stopped Jonathan Romero (35-3, 19 KOs) in the first-round of their scheduled 10-round fight in Toledo, Ohio.
Now Bell, (26-0, 9 KOs), is not celebrating, but rather getting ready to board a plane. Bell is going to be in Arizona, ringside for the Oscar Valdez versus Liam Wilson fight week. Wilson is currently ranked No. 2 by the WBO. Valdez is a former two-division world champion and is ranked No. 4 in the division. Emanuel Navarrete is the WBO super featherweight champion, but is taking a fight at lightweight for the WBO lightweight world title on May 18. Navarrete will fight undefeated Denys Berinchyk. It is unknown if Navarrete will return to super featherweight
“God willing, I hope my next fight is for the world title,” Bell told BoxingScene. “In a perfect world, my next fight would be against Navarrete, but the world isn’t perfect. I am willing to face anyone – as long as it is for the world title.”
“I feel all the champions [in the super featherweight division] are real champions,” reflected Bell. “They all went through trials and tribulations outside of the ring. I just feel I am the best out of all of us.”
Bell was with Top Rank, but split ways after his April 10 win over Manuel Rey Rojas in 2021. Since then, he has gone independent with his promoter, Vick Green, fighting eight times on the regional circuit. Bell, who hails from Toledo, Ohio, embraced his local roots boxing mostly in his hometown for the past three years as he awaited a big fight.
“From the beginning, we knew Albert was the best [super featherweight] in the world,” Vick Green, Bell’s promoter, exclaimed. “We took a big risk by going independent. I would say it worked, but until we get the official world title nod.”
If you look at Bell’s record one thing stands out. There are not a lot of knockouts. Bell is a tricky operator, a good mover, but isn’t known for his power. That is changing and his last three fights have ended via knockout.
“It feels great [to have a first-round knockout], it is very exciting,” Bell told BoxingScene. “That is three knockouts in a row. It feels good to get these guys out of there.”
Bell went independent and relied on his local community to help him rebuild. So, Bell has two goals he made clear. One is to win a world title. Two is to bring a world title fight back to Toledo, Ohio.
Green noted the success of Robert Easter Jr., and Jared Anderson who brought world-class boxing to Toledo. Bell’s goal is to bring back a title fight to those who supported him when he wasn’t fighting on major networks
“When I started promoting in Toledo, I knew it would be a process as far as building. We started off selling tickets for $25,” remembered Vick Green. “That is something [Albert Bell] always discussed is his first voluntary defense after winning the title, bringing it back home and doing it for our city.”
