WBC Grants David Benavidez Two-Week Extension to Decide Position
Jun 28, 2024 • 8:25 PM ET
PHOENIX – He’s waited a long time, and so they can wait a while now.
Unbeaten David Benavidez was granted a two-week extension by the World Boxing Council on Friday to decide whether he wants to remain mandatory super middleweight challenger to Saul "Canelo" Alvarez or remain an interim light heavyweight titleholder.
Both titles position the 27-year-old Phoenix fighter for a looming major bout.
Although, when Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) will get either bout remains uncertain as undisputed champion Alvarez mulls who he’ll fight next and is likely leaning toward a date with WBA mandatory Edgar Berlanga instead.
The wait for Alvarez has been painful for Benavidez – two years as the No. 1 contender and more than eight months as mandatory.
At 175 pounds, WBC/WBO/IBF champion Artur Beterbiev is due to fight WBA titleholder Dmitry Bivol in a match of unbeaten Russians.
Benavidez has said he’s leaning toward remaining the 168 mandatory to Alvarez, and this extension keeps him in place to be a thorn in Alvarez’s side, as the public has suggested Alvarez is dodging Benavidez – perhaps to create a greater purse for the showdown next year.
Lance Pugmire has been a full-time boxing writer for nearly 20 years, serving now as BoxingScene’s U.S. Senior Writer and assistant producer for ProBoxTV’s “BoxingScene Today.” Pugmire capped a near 20-year career at the Los Angeles Times (sports investigations, NHL/MLB beat work, law enforcement/courts and boxing/UFC) to join The Athletic, and then USA Today. Pugmire’s stint at The Times started with the first Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez fight and the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jnr then-record pay-per-view, leading through a slew of ringside assignments at major bouts, including Mayweather-Pacquiao, Mayweather-Canelo and the Canelo-Golovkin trilogy. Lance’s appreciation for boxing is rooted in his admiration and appreciation for the fighters, gladiators who have proven to be the most forthcoming and candid of all the athletes he has interviewed over a career dating to 1990. Lance was honored to be named the 2022 winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence and he’s collected many BWAA writing awards in categories ranging from breaking news to deep-dive long features.
