In a developing situation that was reported on Wednesday, it seems David Benavidez is being positioned to face interim WBC titleholder Michal Cieslak near the end of this year.
In his most recent outing, ‘The Mexican Monster’ added another belt to his collection with his impressive stoppage of Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez in May. Now, Benavidez will reportedly square off with Cieslak, who earned his interim title back in June with an impressive fourth-round knockout of Jean Pascal.
Prior to the news of the potential matchup between Benavidez and Cieslak, it was announced that the inaugural Zuffa cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia will put his belt on the line against WBC champion Noel Mikaelian. Earlier this year, Mikaelian received a mandatory bout order from the WBC to face Benavidez, but by scheduling the match with Opetaia instead, he could be in danger of being stripped of his title. This could also create serious WBC title implications for the Benavidez match, with the winner possibly walking away with the belt given Cieslak’s interim status potentially elevating.
Following the announcement of the match between Opetaia and Mikaelian, the Australian released a statement accusing Benavidez of avoiding a fight, while praising his upcoming opponent for accepting the challenge. In the past, Benavidez has firmly stated he does not intend to go into business with Zuffa, but Opetaia was still pursuing a unification match with him earlier this year.
“This is a huge card, and I look forward to showing the world once again why I’m the best cruiserweight on the planet. Credit to Noel for stepping up to the plate while others. Yes, David Benavidez, I’m talking about you. Continue to run and hide.”