“We’re not interested in fighting Usyk,” Benavidez Sr. said to Fernando Sabatini. “Today or tomorrow, the WBA will order the fight with Bivol. Either he fights or we’ll keep taking his belts.”
Bivol is expected to defend against Michael Eifert, and a third fight with Artur Beterbiev remains a possibility depending on results. Those commitments could push any new opponent into 2027. The WBA isn’t going to wave a magic wand and make Bivol-Benavidez fight happen.
Even if Bivol gets past Eifert, the IBA is already pushing for the Beterbiev trilogy in Moscow for the end of the year.
That puts any potential Benavidez fight into 2027 at the earliest. By then, Bivol will be 36 with a repaired back and three wars with Beterbiev on his odometer. Is that even the fight people want to see?
That leaves Benavidez waiting on outcomes he cannot control. Even if the WBA moves to order a mandatory, the timing would still depend on Bivol’s obligations and whether he retains his titles.
He’s 35 years old and coming off a major back surgery in August 2025 to fix a herniated disc. For a guy who relies entirely on his legs to stay out of trouble, a back injury is the beginning of the end. He’s trying to put himself back together after two brutal wars with Artur Beterbiev that took a massive toll.
In that rematch a year ago, Beterbiev had Bivol’s face falling apart in the 12th round. Bivol survived, but he left a part of his career in that ring.
Power is the last thing to go, and Beterbiev proved he still has plenty of it, while Bivol looked every bit his age.
Benavidez moved up in weight, looking for top-level fights, but the path at the top of the division is already tied up. Calling for Bivol keeps his name in position, yet the realistic scenario is a delayed opportunity tied to the results of upcoming fights.
David Benavidez clearly knows the score, even if his father doesn’t. Stopping Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in six rounds on May 2 to pick up the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles was a calculated move. He’s effectively moved on to a third weight class because he knows the 175-pound elite is a logjam of aging champions and mandatory obligations.
Jose Sr. can keep Bivol’s name in the headlines to keep the hype alive, but the “Mexican Monster” is better off ruling at 200 pounds. Chasing a 35-year-old Bivol, who is one more hard fight away from retirement, is a waste of David’s prime.