Sampson Lewkowicz has set a 12‑month countdown: if his charge David “El Monstruo” Benavidez retains his newly inherited WBC light‑heavyweight belt this autumn, the promoter insists the Phoenix puncher will headline Cinco de Mayo 2026 against whichever man emerges from the expected Dmitry Bivol‑Artur Beterbiev trilogy decider. “The torch will finally be passed to him as the new face of boxing,” Lewkowicz declared in a press release,.
Benavidez has long been the odd man out while Bivol and Beterbiev split the 175‑lb titles, but Bivol’s decision last month to vacate the WBC belt rather than face Benavidez cleared a path: the Arizona star was elevated to full champion and Bivol pursued the rubber match with Beterbiev, eyed for October in Riyadh. The winner of that bout will hold three belts and, if Lewkowicz gets his wish, the Cinco de Mayo date against Benavidez at Allegiant Stadium or AT&T Stadium.
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Lewkowicz’s urgency is fuelled by what he called a “disastrous” holiday fight weekend: Álvarez’s points win over William Scull and Devin Haney’s track‑meet against Jose Ramírez drew widespread jeers, forcing fans to wait until Naoya Inoue’s thriller with Ramon Cardenas rescued the narrative Sunday evening. “You can’t buy good fights,” Lewkowicz said.
The plan: Benavidez defends in September or October - likely against WBO interim champ Callum Smith - then camps for May. Should Bivol‑Beterbiev III fall apart, Lewkowicz claims he’ll chase the undisputed cruiserweight king or even Anthony Yarde, but insists the 2026 holiday slot “belongs to David.”
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Image Credit: PBC