Benavidez’s Camp Calls Out Beterbiev Over Ducking Claims

David Benavidez’s (32-0, 26 KOs) camp has pushed back against Artur Beterbiev’s (21-1, 20 KOs) suggestion that they avoided a megafight, with father and trainer Jose Benavidez Sr. demanding the bout be made immediately.

“They’re lying. We want to fight him. Let’s make that fight happen. Tell the manager to contact me, and we will make that fight happen in five minutes. Do you have his manager’s number? Let’s go,” Benavidez Sr.

Beterbiev had said he sought to arrange a fight with Benavidez after the three-division champion defeated Anthony Yarde in November 2025, only for the Benavidez camp to change course and opt for Gilberto Ramirez instead. Benavidez stopped Ramirez in six rounds on May 2 to claim the unified WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles. Meanwhile, Benavidez Sr. denied any contact had taken place.

“Benavidez is the kind of guy who talks a lot more than he does. His team apparently didn’t expect me to agree to fight him so quickly after the Yarde victory, so they immediately changed their mind and chose Ramirez. That’s foreign to me,” ” Beterbiev said

“Nothing happened, but we still want to fight him. We’re here to fight anybody. If Beterbiev’s ready, let’s make it happen. I think they’re all talk,” Benavidez Sr.