David Benavidez Leaves Three Major Fights Behind

David Benavidez confirmed he will not return to light heavyweight, choosing to remain at cruiserweight following his stoppage win over Gilberto Ramirez. Benavidez stated that he feels at his physical best at 200 pounds without draining himself to cut weight. However, Boxing 24/7 Wire notes that committing to cruiserweight effectively rules out high-profile showdowns against Canelo Alvarez, Dmitry Bivol, and Artur Beterbiev.

Boxing 24/7 Wire analyzes the commercial challenges Benavidez faces, noting that while cruiserweights like Jai Opetaia offer sporting merit, they lack mainstream commercial appeal in the United States. While heavyweight could offer bigger names in the future, it carries notable physical risks, leaving Benavidez largely responsible for generating pay-per-view interest in his current division.