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.
ProboxTV’s championship series is now on the ProBoxTV YouTube channel for $5/month.
Learn More
LAS VEGAS – Frank Martin stepped as close as he could get to Michel Rivera without touching him after they made weight Friday afternoon.
The Indianapolis native will have to close the distance as best he can Saturday night, too, to give himself the best chance to win their 12-round battle between undefeated lightweights at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Martin (16-0, 12 KOs), who officially weighed in at 134¾ pounds, is listed by Caesars Sportsbook as slightly more than a 2-1 favorite over the Dominican Republic’s Rivera (24-0, 14 KOs).
The taller, more experienced Rivera stepped on the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s scale at 134½ pounds.
The winner of their WBA elimination match will move closer toward a title shot in the lightweight division. Their fight will headline a “Showtime Championship Boxing” tripleheader from The Chelsea, a venue inside The Cosmopolitan.
Showtime, 10 p.m. ET; 7 p.m. PT
Jose Uzcategui (32-4, 27 KOs), Tijuana, Mexico, 167½ pounds vs. Vladimir Shishkin (13-0, 8 KOs), Stepnoe, Mexico, 167¼ pounds, 12 rounds, IBF elimination match.
Nikolai Potapov (23-2-1, 11 KOs), Podolsk, Russia, 117 pounds vs. Vincent Astrolabio (17-3, 12 KOs), General Santos City, Philippines, 117½ pounds, 12 rounds, IBF elimination match.
Showtime Sports’ YouTube Channel, 8 p.m. ET; 5 p.m. PT
Omar Juarez (13-1, 5 KOs), Brownsville, Texas, 141 pounds vs. Austin Dulay (15-3, 11 KOs, 1 NC), Nashville, 140½ pounds, 10 rounds, welterweights.
Elijah Garcia (12-0, 10 KOs), Phoenix, 164 pounds vs. Cruse Stewart (8-1, 6 KOs), Maple Grove, Minnesota, 162½ pounds, 8 rounds, super middleweights.
Non-televised, 6:30 p.m. ET; 3:30 p.m. PT
Joahnys Argilagos (8-1, 4 KOs), Camaguey, Cuba, 116 pounds vs. Mario Hernandez (10-3-1, 3 KOs), Santa Ana, California, 116¾ pounds, 6 rounds, bantamweights.
Kenneth Sims Jr. (18-2-1, 6 KOs), Chicago, 144½ pounds vs. Rock Myrthil (17-1, 13 KOs), Los Angeles, 145½ pounds, 8 rounds, junior welterweights.
Ray Robinson (pro debut), Cincinnati, 125¾ pounds vs. Victor Saravia (1-3-1, 1 KO), Los Angeles, 123¾ pounds, 4 rounds, junior featherweights.
Bakhram Murtazaliev (20-0, 15 KOs), Grozny, Russia, 155¾ pounds vs. Roberto Valenzuela Jr. (20-3, 19 KOs), Agua Prieta, Mexico, 155½ pounds, 8 rounds, junior middleweights.
Bxngtv.com, Time TBD (ASAP after Martin-Rivera fight ends)
Kevin Johnson (12-2, 8 KOs), Las Vegas, 143¼ pounds vs. Cristian Baez (18-2, 17 KOs), San Jose, California, 143½ pounds, 10 rounds, welterweights.
Adrian Benton (7-0, 4 KOs), Cincinnati, 135½ pounds vs. Yohan Vasquez (25-2, 20 KOs), Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, 134¼ pounds, 8 rounds, lightweights.
Micky Scala (6-0, 4 KOs), Mesa, Arizona, 153¼ pounds vs. Ricardo Villalba (20-6-1, 8 KOs), Buenos Aires, Argentina, 153¼ pounds, 6 rounds, junior middleweights.
Jalil Hackett (4-0, 3 KOs), Washington, D.C., 148½ pounds vs. Nelson Morales (3-1, 0 KOs), Scranton, Pennsylvania, 149 pounds, 6 rounds, junior middleweights.
Robert Meriweather (2-0, 1 KO), Las Vegas, 129½ pounds vs. Jayden Salway (0-0-1), Browning, Montana, 130 pounds, 4 rounds, junior lightweights.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
