“Not Ideal, But Here We Are”: David Benavidez Reacts To Becoming WBC Light Heavyweight Champion After Bivol Avoids Mandatory Defense

David Benavidez reacted tonight on Instagram to being crowned the new WBC light heavyweight champion by the sanctioning body after Dmitry Bivol chose to vacate the title rather than comply with the WBC’s order for him to defend against him.

Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) admitted that it’s not the “ideal way” for him to pick up the WBC 175-lb title, but he still intends to make the “best fights” for the fans. He didn’t give any hits who that would be, but there are several good options among the contenders.

Avoiding “El Monstruo”?

Fans on social media overwhelmingly believe Bivol ducked Benavidez for fear of losing to him and messing up his big payday for a trilogy match against Artur Beterbiev. That’s the one Turki wants. If Bivol told Turki he wanted to get the fight with Benavidez out of the way first, he’d have likely agreed. Fear may have gotten the best of Dmitry. If he thought he could win, he’d have gladly taken the fight with Benavidez just like he did when he fought the unknown Malik Zinad.

Benavidez is a high-risk opponent for Bivol, and his team may have seen his pressure style as too dangerous for them. Losing badly to ‘The Mexican Monster’ would have hurt Bivol’s marketability going into a trilogy match with Beterbiev. he couldn’t afford to have that happen. We don’t know if Turki would pull the rug out from under Bivol if he was beaten by Benavidez and changed his mind about putting the trilogy together.

David might only need to take one fight before the winner or the loser of the Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev trilogy contest looks his way to try and recapture the WBC belt to become an undisputed champion. It’s difficult to predict what Bivol, 34, and Beterbiev will do because both have made a lot of money in their two fights thus far.

The third will increase their bank accounts even more to where they don’t need additional finances. Both of them are getting pretty old. So, we’ll have to see if they want to reclaim the WBC belt from Benavidez.

“Just got the news that Bivol decided to vacate his title instead of fighting me. Now that makes me the WBC world champion at light heavyweight. This is not the ideal way for me to become a world champion, but nevertheless, I am now the WBC light heavyweight champion of the world, and I intend to put on the best fights,” said David Benavidez on Instagram, reacting to being upgraded to full WBC light heavyweight champion after Dmitry Bivol vacated his belt.