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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Melina Pizano/ MatchroomFRISCO, Texas – Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez is set for the first of what is expected to be two unification bouts on the year.
However, he is only locked in on the one that is directly in front of him.
The unbeaten two-division and reigning lineal and WBC junior bantamweight champion made weight, as did WBO counterpart Phumelele Cafu. Rodriguez was 114.8lbs, while Cafu tipped the scales right at the 115lbs divisional limit during Friday’s weigh-in from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
The same site will host their scheduled 12-round unification clash this Saturday on DAZN (7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. local time, 12:00 a.m. ET).
Rodriguez, 21-0 (14 KOs), will attempt the second defense of his second reign as WBC 115lbs titlist. The 25-year-old southpaw from San Antonio – roughly four hours from the greater Dallas area – reclaimed the alphabet belt in an off-the-canvas, seventh-round knockout of long-reigning lineal champ Juan Francisco Estrada last June 29 in Phoenix, Arizona.
The win was followed by a third-round knockout of Pedro Guevara last November 9 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both bouts followed his two-fight tour at flyweight, where he held the IBF and WBO titles. That run came one year after his first WBC junior bantamweight title reign in 2022.
With a win on Saturday, Rodriguez will next face WBA 115lbs titlist Fernando Martinez, 18-0 (9 KOs), as part of the November 22 “Ring IV: Night of Champions” super card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Cafu, 11-0-3 (8 KOs), plans to have plenty to say about that – in the ring, anyway.
The visiting South African hits the road for the second straight time. His previously adventure launched his WBO title reign after an upset, split decision victory over Kosei Tanaka last October in Tokyo, Japan.
A win by Cafu this weekend would go down as the year’s biggest upset from a betting perspective. Rodriguez is listed as a -2500 favorite according to bet365, which is on the conservative end compared to other sportsbooks who have him at -3000 or higher.
The co-feature pits a pair of big super middleweight hitters as Diego Pacheco, 23-0 (18 KOs), and Trevor McCumby, 28-1 (23 KOs), meet in a scheduled 12-round contest. Both boxers came in right at the 168lbs limit.
Below are the weigh-in results for the entire card.
Jesse Rodriguez (114.8lbs) vs. Phumelele Cafu (115lbs)
12 rounds, lineal/WBC/WBO 115lbs title unification
Diego Pacheco (168lbs) vs. Trevor McCumby (168lbs)
12 rounds, super middleweight
Austin Williams (158.4lbs) vs. Ivan Vazquez (159.6lbs)
10 rounds, middleweight
Omari Jones (149.4lbs) vs. Alfredo Rodolfo Blanco (150.2lbs)
6 rounds, junior middleweight
Hector Beltran (154lbs) vs. Edgar Gutierrez (153.4lbs)
4 rounds, junior middleweight
Nishant Dev (155.8lbs) vs. LaQuan Evans (156.2lbs)
6 rounds, junior middleweight
Pablo Valdez (156lbs) vs. Robert Redmond Jr (154.2lbs)
8 rounds, junior middleweight
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.
