David Benavidez Rules Out Terence Crawford Fight at Super-Middleweight
Las Vegas, NV — In a notable shift, David Benavidez has walked back previous interest in a potential fight with newly crowned super-middleweight king Terence Crawford, declaring he has “no interest” in returning to the 168-pound division.
The 27-year-old, known as The Mexican Monster, had previously hinted at the idea of squaring off with Crawford, particularly after the Omaha native stunned the boxing world by defeating Canelo Alvarez in a masterclass performance earlier this month.
Crawford’s unanimous decision victory over Canelo on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium secured his status as a two-weight undisputed world champion, cementing his place among boxing’s all-time greats. The win also triggered a wave of speculation about his next opponent — and whether a clash with Benavidez could be on the cards.
From revenge talk to redirection
In a 2023 interview with YouTuber Mr Organik, Benavidez had expressed a desire to face Crawford — not only due to competitive respect, but also with a personal angle: seeking revenge for his older brother Jose Benavidez Jr., who was stopped by Crawford in 2018.
“I would love to get [revenge], but I just don’t think he would come up,” Benavidez said at the time. “I would love to fight [Terence] Crawford, or even spar Crawford.”
But in a recent interview with Inside The Ring, the tone was decisively different. Benavidez dismissed any desire to return to the super-middleweight ranks, stating his focus has fully shifted toward the light-heavyweight and even cruiserweight divisions.
“To be honest, let Terence Crawford live. That’s his weight class,” he said.
“I lost interest in 168 a long, long time ago. And I know that we could get offered a lot of money to go down but I’m more comfortable at 175. I’m chasing [Artur] Beterbiev, [Dmitry] Bivol, [Gilberto] Zurdo Ramirez — even at cruiserweight.”
Eyes forward: Yarde next for Benavidez
Benavidez is currently preparing for his first title defence as WBC light-heavyweight champion, with a scheduled bout against Britain’s Anthony Yarde set for Saturday, November 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The card is part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing push to host marquee boxing events and will mark Benavidez’s debut at 175 pounds.
His ascension to light-heavyweight, after a dominant stint at 168, signals a clear career redirection — one that seems incompatible with a fight against the smaller, more technical Crawford.
Benavidez remains undefeated and holds a record of 28 wins with 24 knockouts. His aggressive, power-driven style contrasts sharply with Crawford’s slick, surgical approach — a dynamic that had fans salivating over the potential clash.
However, size — and timing — appear to have killed that conversation before it gained traction.
What’s next for Crawford?
As for Terence Crawford, the 38-year-old is expected to take a well-earned break following his historic victory. Having already become the first male boxer to claim undisputed titles in two different weight divisions, Crawford is reportedly eyeing a move down to middleweight (160 lbs) — in pursuit of an unprecedented sixth weight class world title.
Crawford has hinted at chasing legacy-defining challenges, and a drop to 160 may provide more stylistically matched opponents than climbing to 175, where larger, naturally bigger fighters dominate the landscape.
While Crawford vs. Benavidez once seemed like a stylistically intriguing mega-fight, both men now appear to be on separate trajectories, with weight divisions — and ambitions — taking them in different directions.
Final Bell
Though fans may be disappointed that the Crawford-Benavidez dream bout has lost momentum, both fighters remain active forces in their respective divisions. With Benavidez charging into the light-heavyweight elite and Crawford chasing legacy across multiple divisions, boxing continues to benefit from their parallel — if divergent — paths.
