David Benavidez defended his “regular” WBC and WBA lightweight heavyweight titles on Saturday in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, after a dominant performance against Anthony Yarde. It was another incredible performance that cemented his position as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Will this victory mean that he will replace Canelo Alvarez as the face of Mexican boxing in the near future?

In the co-main event, Devin Haney, often criticized for his conservative style, showed a more aggressive side, defeating Brian Norman Jr. by unanimous decision. and winning the WBO welterweight title. Haney knocked down Norman in round 2, but once again failed to finish his opponent when he had the chance. Whether by design or lack of power, Haney hasn’t scored a KO victory in six years. Will winning the third league title satisfy his skeptics?

Also on the card, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez unified three junior bantamweight world titles in another world-class performance against Fernando Martinez. And even though Rodriguez is struggling in the minor leagues and just turned 26, Rodriguez is a gigantic star and it’s time to treat him as such.

Abdullah Mason became boxing’s youngest current champion after a hard-fought fight with Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight title. Mason still has deficiencies defensively and will need to fix that now that he is the champion and becomes the hunted rather than the hunter.

Andreas Hale shares his thoughts on these performances.

David Benavidez will become Mexico’s biggest star in 2026

Benavidez’s systematic and vicious beating of Yarde was further proof of just how special “Mexican Monster” is. He was effective and exhilarating, stringing together one remarkable combination after another, and as usual with his iron chin and constant pressure to get through the Yarde and score.

The victory, coupled with Canelo’s recent loss to Terence Crawford, opened the door for Benavidez to become the novel face of Mexican boxing, and ultimately the face of boxing.

Before the fight, Benavidez, who was born in Phoenix, Arizona, but is of Mexican descent, told ESPN that he tried to take Canelo away from both the customary Mexican boxing fixtures: Cinco De Mayo and the Mexican Independence Day weekend. He also said that in his next fight he plans to fight for the WBO and WBA cruiserweight champion if he fails to fight former champion Artur Beterbiev or unified champion Dmitry Bivol. After the victory over Yarde, Benavidez converted his shot.

“I have some news for you,” he said. “May 2 [it will be] me vs [Gilberto] Zurdo Ramirez. I will move up to cruiserweight to fight for his titles.”

A Cinco de Mayo weekend fight against a Mexican champion in a different weight class is exactly the moment Benavidez takes control. First, in terms of style, this is a fantastic fight.

Benavidez presents a different brand of “Mexican-style” boxing. Yes, he performs with constant pressure and resilience, but the way he beats the crap out of his opponents is what makes him a fan favorite. Additionally, his willingness to fight anyone without hesitation sets him apart from most of his peers. Benavidez turns just 29 in December and has plenty of fights ahead of him as the current crop of stars begins to age.

Much like his fighting style, Benavidez’s star power is like an avalanche that can’t be stopped once it starts. And after his performance on Saturday, things are gaining momentum.

There will still be questions about Devin Haney

Haney silenced his critics by brilliantly eliminating Norman’s punches to win the WBO welterweight title and become a three-division champion.

Leading up to the fight, there were questions about Haney’s impact resistance and whether he was “in shock” after touching the canvas three times against Ryan Garcia in April 2024. Even though the fight was turned from a Garcia win to a no-contest after Garcia failed a drug test and was suspended, the lasting image of Haney falling three times from Garcia’s powerful left hooks stuck with fight fans. This came after a indigent performance against Jose Ramirez in May, during which he didn’t seem too eager to commit.

But against Norman, the toughest fighter in the division, Haney was the aggressor. Norman dared Haney to get in his pocket and trade with him. Haney agreed and in the second round he put Norman on the canvas with a rigid right hand. Norman, not Haney, was in shock from that point on and needed many rounds before he could create any offense. By then it was too behind schedule and Haney made a unanimous decision and, most importantly, silenced his skeptics.

For now.

Haney didn’t finish Norman off when he got him into trouble in Round 2. He allowed him to get to the final bell, and that’s something his opponents will almost certainly be hanging on to before he steps into the ring again. Haney routinely displays enough vulnerability that people question his status as one of the best fighters on a pound-for-pound basis, and his win over Norman was no exception. But for Haney, a win is a win.

“In 2024, I lost everything,” Haney said. “Everything collapsed on me. In 2025 I came to get it back. In 2026 I will come for everything.”

Haney is risk-averse, much like the fighter he is often compared to, Floyd Mayweather. He is very calculating and does enough to win fights. This approach may suggest that it is surmountable. However, he also makes it easier for him to win the fights he wants because everyone thinks they can beat them until they get in the ring with him.

Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn is not a fan of Haney’s style.

“You have to show Devin Haney appreciation and respect,” Hearn said during his post-fight interview with DAZN. “I mean, he just became a three-division world champion, but no one is going to want to watch him fight. I mean, he’s fighting with fear.

“You can’t keep fighting like this because no one will want to see it. Again, an amazing achievement, but he doesn’t want to engage in a fight at all.”

It could be a well-thought-out strategy or just the way he fights. Haney hasn’t stopped an opponent since September 2019, when he forced Zaur Abdullaev to resign. This isn’t necessarily because he doesn’t have power, but maybe because he doesn’t feel it necessary to take risks when he already has the upper hand in a fight.

Now that he has the WBO belt, other champions will have to face him if they want to unify the division. Whether it’s the winner of WBC champion Mario Barriosa vs. Ryan Garcia, who is scheduled to fight next February, IBF champion Lewis Crocker, or WBA titleholder Rolando “Rolly” Romero, all options are available for Haney’s next fight. And each of them will believe they can beat Haney.

It’s impossible to ignore the prudent boxing genius of Jesse Rodriguez

“Bam” Rodriguez was the best pound-for-pound fighter on Riyad’s season card, but he was neither the main nor co-main event. For an undefeated lighter champion, he handles himself in the ring like someone much bigger. Boxing purists love him and will be delighted with how patient he was in choosing where to beat Martinez in a fight he dominated from the start.

He is not unknown; it just hasn’t been discovered by everyone yet. It’s the same with many fighters weighing under 130 pounds, where the fight for attention is probably more crucial than the fight in the ring. But “Bam” is just too good not to become a huge star. His fights are always exhilarating and he chases KOs whenever he sees an opening. It took him a few seconds to realize he was a class above Martinez and make sure the fight wouldn’t go the distance. His goal is to win IBF junior bantamweight champion Willibaldo Garcia Perez and Kenshiro Teraji on December 27 to become undisputed before moving up in weight again. None of these opponents will raise his profile, but whenever Rodriguez fights, his TV appearance is a must-see. Before 2026, we need to bang this drum louder than ever before. He turns 26 in January and is ranked No. 5 in the ESPN rankings on a pound-for-pound basis. All that remains is to win the heart of an ordinary fan.

Abdullah Mason’s lesson in firmness and determination will be very helpful

It was the ultimate battle of skill vs. will as Mason was the more talented fighter, but had to face the tough-as-nails Noakes to become boxing’s youngest champion and win the WBO lightweight title. Mason, 21, played 12 innings for the first time in his career and had to dig deep when Noakes refused to disappear.

This type of victory will go a long way in Mason’s development as a player. He still has gaps in his game where opponents are able to break through his defense because his approach is too offensive. Dominating early and often can make a youthful player overconfident in his ability to finish his opponent. But in the Noakes fight, Mason, who was on a nine-fight KO streak entering the fight, learned that no fighter will give up like a wash once he goes on the offensive. This is an crucial lesson that will assist you become a better defensive player for the champion. He is youthful enough to learn novel tricks to compensate for his defensive deficiencies. In a division with a wide range of styles, Mason will have to rely more on his will than his skill against opponents who may be as talented as he is. Don’t be surprised if a fight with Noakes helps him go from good to great in five years.