Benavidez’s First Light Heavyweight Defense: A Closer Look
Boxing fans are buzzing about David Benavidez’s upcoming defense of the WBC light heavyweight championship. He’ll face Anthony Yarde in November 2025, and the buzz isn’t all positive. While a title defense should be a big moment, there’s a sense of letdown in the boxing world—many wanted to see Benavidez take on Callum Smith, the hard-hitting WBO interim champ with a serious reputation.
Benavidez, known for his undefeated record (30 wins, 24 by knockout), just moved up to light heavyweight last year. It hasn’t been an easy climb—he outpointed Oleksandr Gvozdyk to grab the interim title, survived a punishing bout against David Morrell, and only recently became the full WBC champion when Dmitry Bivol stepped aside to chase a trilogy with Artur Beterbiev. Each fight in this new division has upped the stakes. The Morrell fight, in particular, showed Benavidez’s grit, as he had to gut out rounds after taking some heavy shots from the Cuban southpaw.
Now, as the dust settles, Benavidez is preparing to fight Yarde, a 32-year-old power puncher from London who’s tasted defeat in his last two world title bids. Yarde got stopped by Sergey Kovalev in 2019 and lost on points to Beterbiev in a thriller last year. But after eking out a win against Lyndon Arthur this April, Yarde has found himself with a third chance to snatch a world title. Make no mistake—Yarde has heavy hands with 24 knockouts to show for it, but his resume hasn’t convinced fans he’s the real threat Benavidez needs right now.
Backlash and Boxing’s Never-Ending Debate
The choice of opponent has riled up social media and boxing forums. To many fans and pundits, Benavidez is ducking the stiffer test: Callum Smith. Smith’s reputation for size, reach, and skills make him the obvious pick for those craving a legacy bout. Instead, Benavidez’s camp opted for Yarde, and people are quick to read between the lines. Fresh off a bruising night against Morrell, Benavidez may be looking to rebuild some momentum without stepping into another potential war just yet.
Of course, this isn’t to say Yarde doesn’t have a puncher’s chance. His style can be explosive, and he draws a big UK following, which is likely a factor behind staging this event in Saudi Arabia’s glitzy Riyadh Season festival. Promoters know a big-name British fighter brings overseas fans and eyes to the event. Still, fans who wanted Benavidez to push for unification against Smith or even face another elite contender will have to wait. The venue, date, and undercard remain under wraps—but the speculation on what comes next for Benavidez, win or lose, refuses to die down.
Boxing’s a business as much as it’s sport, and picking Yarde over Smith may be about playing it smart: bank a win, grow international appeal, then go after unification. Whatever the calculus, it’s clear that every move Benavidez makes will be under a microscope—especially if he expects to cement his legacy at 175 pounds.