Truth can be stranger than fiction, but in reality, truth was obvious and fiction was, well, fiction! If you like to stay in the know with the latest in boxing, you must have read about the Dmitry Bivol vs. David Benavidez fight that’s making headlines left and right. And of course, it did! After all, everyone was expecting Bivol to fight Artur Beterbiev in a trilogy.
The pair just got done with their two fights in February this year! Beterbiev won the first, and Bivol bagged the second. So, a trilogy fight was a no-brainer, right? Beterbiev didn’t shy away from a rematch, then why should Bivol? Even the architect of the Riyadh Season Turki Alalshikh came forward, claiming he no longer wants to make a fight between Benavidez and Bivol, instead focusing on a trilogy.
Forget about Mr. Turki for a second though, even Bivol’s promoter Eddie Hearn was leaning toward the trilogy fight. Despite these statements, Julius Julianis of ESPN Knockout reported on X, “PBC and Matchroom are very close to finalizing an agreement for Bivol and David Benavídez to face each other this summer.” This came after the WBC had ordered Bivol to defend his titles against Bivol. Regardless, this piece of rumor was picked up by countless outlets and presented as facts.
Even Happy Punch on X got wrapped up with the sudden change in Bivol’s plans. They wrote, “Dmitry Bivol vs. David Benavidez is close to being finalized for the Undisputed light heavyweight championship this summer .” However, the truth was far from it! Respected boxing journalist Dan Rafael quickly revealed what’s really happening behind the curtains.
SAN DIEGO, CA – MARCH 02: Boxer Dmitry Bivol looks on during the press conference announcing the May 7th Canelo Alvarez v Dmitry Bivol fight at the Sheraton Hotel on March 2, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/Getty Images) ***Local Caption***
“Per Benavidez promoter @SampsonBoxing this is false. Both sides have made offers to the other but not ‘close to being finalized’ at all,” Rafael wrote in response. According to a report from Boxing Scene, Samson had sent a “very large offer” to Bivol’s team, but there hasn’t been any response to the offer, making the potential fight between Bivol and Benavidez just that—potential.
Furthermore, Rafael provided a statement from Bivol’s manager as well, which clarified that a fight against Benavidez is nowhere near being close. “We are not close to finalizing Benavidez. We are not close to finalizing anything at this point. We are 2 weeks away from fighting 4 big fights in 1 year’s time. And right now we are just close to our kids and relatives,” Rafael quoted Bivol’s manager Vadim Kornilov.
But do you know what the funny thing is—there could be something big in store for the fans from Benavidez’s team!
Jose Benavidez Sr. teases big news from David Benavidez amid Dmitry Bivol fight rumors
The veteran trainer isn’t just Benavidez’s coach—he’s also his father and biggest supporter. The duo has been inseparable throughout Benavidez’s entire career, with Senior often serving as his son’s most passionate hype man. Now, as rumors of a potential Bivol vs. Benavidez showdown flood the internet, Benavidez Sr. has hinted at a major announcement regarding his son’s future.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 05: David Benavidez celebrates after defeating Denis Douglin during a super middleweight fight at 2300 Arena on August 5, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
Hours ago on Instagram, David Benavidez’s father shared a clip of his son going at it on a punching bag. Meanwhile, the caption of the post read, “Back in the gym stay tuned big news coming soon.” Clearly, he was alluding to a fight announcement. At this point, it’s unclear what Benavidez Sr. was hinting at, but Benavidez has previously expressed interest in fighting ‘Interim’ WBO light heavyweight champion Callum Smith.
That said, the Dmitry Bivol vs. David Benavidez fight always seemed too good to be true. However, most people seem to have been carried away with the idea that Benavidez is getting a shot at undisputed, which he completely deserves. What do you think about how things turned out?
The post Truth Revealed as David Benavidez’s Promoter Puts Dmitry Bivol Fight on Backseat by Silencing False Reports appeared first on EssentiallySports.
