{"id":326894,"date":"2025-12-04T09:45:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T09:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/326894\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T09:45:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T09:45:14","slug":"david-benavidez-willing-to-face-british-rising-star-lets-make-it-happen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/326894\/","title":{"rendered":"David Benavidez willing to face British rising star: “Let’s make it happen”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jose Benavidez Sr, the father and trainer of WBC world champion David Benavidez<\/a>, has expressed his interest in a somewhat left-field matchup.<\/p>\n

The light-heavyweight operator successfully defended his green and gold strap last month, engineering a punishing seventh-round finish over Anthony Yarde in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.<\/a><\/p>\n

Shortly after his victory, Benavidez announced that he will face Gilberto Ramirez, the unified world cruiserweight champion, in a bold move up to 200lbs next year.<\/p>\n

This, it seems, is in response to a lack of opportunities at 175lbs, with Benavidez claiming that potential fights with light-heavyweight king Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev remain difficult to see happening.<\/p>\n

Ramirez, meanwhile, must first defend his WBO and WBA belts against Robin Sirwan Safar in January, before entering an expected showdown with \u2018The Mexican Monster\u2019 on May 2.<\/p>\n

But while that very much appears to be the plan, Benavidez Sr has also welcomed a clash between his son and rising star Ben Whittaker.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Surgeon\u2019 made his promotional debut with Eddie Hearn\u2019s Matchroom Boxing last Saturday, comfortably dismissing overmatched opponent Benjamin Gavazi in the opening round.<\/p>\n

But there are, of course, far tougher tests that await the Olympic silver medallist, especially if he is to eventually land a shot at two-weight world champion Benavidez.<\/p>\n

As it happens, the WBC light-heavyweight king has already highlighted Whittaker as a potential dance partner for his UK debut, which he hopes will come to fruition at Wembley Stadium before he retires.<\/a><\/p>\n

Benavidez Sr, however, has taken to social media<\/a> in a bid to accelerate the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s make it happen! We want to give the fans the fights they want to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whittaker has since been ordered for a WBC final eliminator with domestic rival Joshua Buatsi, but whether it happens is another story.<\/p>\n