British light heavyweight Ben Whittaker has revealed that David Benavidez’s father and trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr., reached out to him to express interest in a future showdown.
While Whittaker took that as a compliment, he admitted that he is “not ready” to face The Mexican Monster. Whittaker has just had 11 pro fights, as he is undefeated with a 10-0-1 record. He is coming off a first-round stoppage win over Benjamin Gavazi last month in his first fight under Matchroom Boxing.
“His dad messaged me on Instagram. ‘I would love to have the fight. It shows I’m doing something right after 11 fights,” Whittaker
While Ben is 28 and Benavidez is 29, their professional resumes are worlds apart. Benavidez has been a pro since his teens, racking up over 30 fights and is a two-weight world champion having won the WBC belt at 168. Despite his flashy style and deep amateur background, Ben acknowledged that he still needs the pro experience before stepping into the ring with Benavidez.
“For me, a bit more experience. I’ve got a bit more stuff to do. I think that’ll be a really big fight, maybe at Wembley. Skill-wise, I believe I’m better than the whole division. I’ve had amateur experience, not pro experience. He’s been pro since he was a teenager,” Whittaker added
The timing of the call-out is also complicated by Benavidez’s recent activity and future plans. Having just stopped Anthony Yarde in seven rounds last month, Benavidez is expected to move up to cruiserweight to face Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (WBA and WBO champ) on Cinco de Mayo in 2026. However, the Whittaker fight could happen in the future since Benavidez has said he would like to headline a show in the UK.