David Benavidez says he hopes to fight former undisputed lithe heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in 2026.
Why 2026 may be too overdue
The downside to next year’s Beterbiev-Benavidez fight is that Beterbiev will turn 41 on January 21. Delaying the fight between them will work against Arthur.
Benavidez (30-0, 24 KO) claims that he would fight Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KO) on November 22, but he was not offered this fight. Instead, he will defend his WBC lithe heavyweight title against Anthony Yarde in the main event.
Fan interest in this fight is not very high because Yarde (27-3, 24 KO) has already been knocked out in two previous world title fights against Sergey Kovalev and Beterbiev. Using Yarde as a world title challenger is a bad idea. It would be fine if it was an undercard fight, but not for the headliner.
Beterbiev will fight on the undercard with the little-known Deon Nicholson (22-1, 18 KO) in a 12-round fight at Ring IV: Night of the Champions.
“I wasn’t offered Beterbiev”
“If I was offered this fight, I would choose it. I was offered Anthony Yarde. I was not offered Artur Beterbiev,” David Benavidez told Ring magazine about X when asked why he chose to fight Anthony Yarde on November 22 and not Artur Beterbiev, who is scheduled to fight on his undercard.
Benavidez said he also wanted to fight IBF, WBA and WBO lithe heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, but he didn’t want to face him. Bivol vacated the WBC title instead of facing Benavidez.
“The contract was signed even before they reached an agreement [Dmitry Bivol and Beterbiev] We weren’t going to fight. So there was nothing I could do about it. Hopefully we can get that fight against Beterbiev at the end of next year,” Benavidez said.
If Bivol isn’t going to fight Benavidez, he might as well fight Beterbiev to make a fight that fans will want to see early next year.
Dan Ambrose was the main voice in Boxing News 24 known for years for its sensible approach to sport. You can love him or hate him. Dan has developed a mighty fan base for his forthright analysis, direct opinions and in-depth coverage of the global boxing scene.
His articles often spark discussions among fans because he is not afraid to challenge popular narratives or question players’ performances. In addition to opinions, Dan provides fight news, previews, and post-fight analysis that provide readers with both detail and perspective.
Floyd Mayweather has been linked to some amazing stories from his life inside and outside of boxing. Few are as shocking as the day he reportedly listened helplessly to a murder-suicide over a FaceTime call.
The incident occurred on December 8, 2014, when rapper Earl Hayes, a member of Mayweather’s inner circle and a recording artist associated with The Money Team, shot and killed his wife, actress and dancer Stephanie Moseley, before taking his own life.
According to multiple reports, Mayweather spoke with Hayes at the time and tried to serene the rapper down for a period of time as the situation got out of control.
FaceTime call
The tragedy took place in the Palazzo East apartments in Los Angeles.
According to police, officers responded after neighbors reported hearing shots and a woman screaming. The LAPD SWAT team entered the apartment and discovered Hayes and Moseley dead from apparent gunshot wounds in the locked bathroom.
Authorities later concluded that Hayes fatally shot Moseley before turning the gun on himself.
Reports at the time indicated that Hayes had contacted Mayweather during an argument over suspicions that Moseley had been inconstant.
Mayweather reportedly kept trying to serene Hayes down as the conversation escalated.
Hollywood shock
Moseley’s death shocked the entertainment industry.
The Canadian actress and dancer appeared on the VH1 series “Hit the Floor” and throughout her career she has performed alongside music’s biggest stars.
A statement released by VH1 at the time said the network and the entire “Hit the Floor” family were devastated by the loss and expressed their condolences to Moseley’s family and friends.
Hayes’ friends also expressed disbelief, describing him as a caring and talented person whose actions seemed completely out of character.
@floydmayweather | IG
Tragedies surrounding Mayweather
The Hayes tragedy wasn’t the only devastating real-life event that coincided with Mayweather’s life outside of boxing.
The former five-weight world champion was also present during the drive-by shooting that injured one of his bodyguards, and the death of Josie Harris, the mother of his three children, sparked another public tragedy and another personal tragedy.
Harris died on March 10, 2020 at the age of 40. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner later ruled her death was the result of an accidental overdose.
A forgotten story
More than a decade has passed, and many boxing fans have no idea this event even happened.
Mayweather was not involved in the crime itself, but reports that he was on the other end of the call ensured that his name would forever be linked to one of the most shocking stories of his career.
For those who remember it, few stories surrounding Floyd Mayweather have been more challenging to understand.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
At the age of 53, Rahman is currently preparing for his return to action on July 14, although no opponent has yet been announced for his six-round bout at Novel York’s ESL Ballpark.
In his last professional career, he lost to little-known opponent Anthony Nansen in 2014, but Rahman clearly believes he can surpass George Foreman and become the oldest heavyweight champion in history.
Whether he succeeds remains to be seen, but the American clearly believes he has a better chance of winning the trophy than 37-year-old Fury.
In fact, Rahman went so far as to suggest that The Gypsy King’s career was preceded by Deontay Wilder, who he felt had also gone way over the line.
I’m talking to Master B4Rahman suspects it was their trilogy in particular that caused significant fatigue for both heavyweights.
“I just think Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury beat [their] careers apart – they abandoned their careers in this trilogy. It’s over for both of them.
“You will never see the best Tyson Fury [again]. It’s over. [He’s] done.”
Jose Benavidez Sr. publicly invited Artur Beterbiev and his team to enter into negotiations to fight David Benavidez.
The comments came after Beterbiev recently discussed previous talks involving both camps. Benavidez Sr., who is David’s father, trainer and manager, said he is ready for the fight to continue.
“Right now, if Beterbiev is watching, their managers are watching, or whoever is making this decision, I am David’s father, coach, manager. Let’s sit down. Let’s make these fights happen. These are the fights we want to make,” Benavidez Sr. he told Fight Hub TV.
“We never got an offer. Like I’m telling you, we never got an offer. But these are the fights we want. With all due respect, I think Beterbiev is a great fighter, man. He’s a very threatening fighter. He’s one of the best right now. He and Bivol are some of the top fighters, but these are the fighters we want to prove ourselves and want to fight.”
Benavidez Sr. added that organizing the fight shouldn’t be a major problem if both sides are interested.
“Let’s organize this fight. It can be fought in five minutes,” said Jose Senior. “These are the fights we want. We are ready to give the people what they want.”
David Benavidez became a three-division world champion earlier this year when he defeated Zurdo Ramirez in the cruiserweight division. Since then, Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol are often mentioned among the potential opponents of Benavidez’s next fight.
“Let’s go,” Benavidez Sr. said. “We are ready. These are the fights we want.”
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reports focus on the most significant fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
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