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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Copenhagen, Denmark - Female featherweight Sarah Mahfoud (10-0) won the IBF interim-title with a unanimous decision over Argentinean Brenda Carabajal (16-5-1) after ten fast-paced rounds where the Danish lady dominated the action with a steady attack.
Carabajal had the better reach but was never really able to use it and was second best for most part of the fight. It was scored 98-92, 97-93 and 100-90 in this no knockdown no big drama affair.
Mahfoud was trained by Sherman "Tank" Williams for this fight and one thing Williams has taught her was a big overhand right and it worked well here.
This fight was the main event of this edition of Danish Fight Night put on by Mogens Palle and Brian Nielsen.
Aging but still very capable Montenegrin light heavyweight Nikola Sjekloca (36-5-1) won a split decision over Jeppe Morell (11-3) in a good, hard-fought eight-rounder. It was scored 76-75 twice for Sjekloca and 78-73 for the Dane - and fact is that Morell was the winner on my card as well by 77-74.
Sjekloca threw fewer punches but was dangerous throughout and paced himself well. Morell, a southpaw, kept jabbing, stayed active and was the aggressor especially in the later rounds when it appeared that the 41-year old veteran was tiring. In the fourth Nikola connected with a perfect right hand counter and Morell went down on one knee but got up and recovered well. He kept working and was seldom effective but at the same time Sjekloca kept looking for the perfect counter and was thus outworked.
In the final two it seemed as if the Dane was on top and he finally broke through with right-left combinations and Sjekloca was under some pressure.
Super welterweight Oliver Meng (8-0) retained the IBF Youth title with a unanimous decision over Ukrainan Vasyl Kurasov (11-4) in a fast paced ten rounder. Meng, a southpaw, was on top in most of the rounds with a steady attack but could never hurt Kurasov, who proved to be a capable boxer but lacked the punch and skills to get to the Dane.
Meng went for broke in the tenth and final round with the crowd chanting his name and now finally, it appeared he hurt Kurasov with a three punch combination but the Ukrainian countered well and lasted the distance in a good fight.
It was scored 99-91 on all cards.
Cruiserweight Ditlev Rossing (14-0) stopped Ukrainian Sviatoslav Svyryd (5-3) 1.38 into the first round of a scheduled eight-rounder. Svyryd looked a bit soft and Rossing jumped on him right away and hurt his opponent with heavy hooks to the head and body. Svyryd went down on one knee but got up and tried to smother the Dane but he took punches cleanly to the head and body and when his knees buckled again the referee stepped in. Rossing had Sherman Williams in the corner and appeared to be in excellent shape and looked sharp.
Super lightweight Viktor Ramon (2-0) outscored Ezequiel Gregores (1-2) over four. It was scored 40-36 on all cards which looked a bit generous to the Dane.
Super lightweight Heva Sharif (4-0) won a unanimous decision after eight against Spaniard David Munoz (5-1) after a good fight where Sharif got away with two blatant headbutts and much holding and hitting. Munoz blew the fight with a slow start but came on strong in the fifth. After the headbutts Munoz was a bit frustrated and headbutted Sharif back in the final ten seconds of the fight - and had a point deducted. Munoz got a bad cut after one of the headbutts.
Russian female feather Elena Gradinar (10-1) was in Denmark as sparring partner for main event fighter Sarah Mahfoud and got a fight on the bill as payment. She took on Serbian Nina Pavlovic (5-3-1) and put on a mess of a fight with constant holding. After six rounds the judges had it 59-55, 58-56 and 57-57 and Gradinar got an undeserved win. I had it 58-57 for Pavlovic, who at least tried to fight.
Debutant Adel Younes was stopped in the second by Frenchman Guillaume Da Silva (now 2-5). Younes was too eager and too green and punched himself out in a wild shootout. Da Silva was rather inept but couldn't miss his tiring opponent with his big right. Younes was floored, got up and was asked to take a step forward and stumbled - and it was stopped. This fight was scheduled for four and fought at middleweight.
