David Benavidez has done it, again, and this time at 175. He said he was making his own lane, and he indeed carved out an alternative route for himself when he handed a defeat to Oleksandr Gvozdyk. But the American boxer faces a tough call now. Should he continue to plummet the fighters at light heavyweight, or should he go down to 168 to shield his interim status so that he can eventually have his dream fight? Where should he head next?

David Benavidez: the undisputed dream at 175

Benavidez, 29, has one foot in already where he can fight the winner of Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev for all the marbles. A shot at the undisputed crown, which Canelo Alvarez has long denied to him. But with Bivol vs. Beterbiev set for October and a rematch on the cards, he might have to wait for a while before he lays his hands on the winner and the undisputed champion at light heavyweight.

That being said, it is something that he has been waiting for a long time, to cement his legacy. His brute knockout power and ability to floor opponents will attract enough eyeballs. With a move up, the 29-0 record holder has only added to his power, and the fans won’t miss the exciting action where a one-punch knockout is a realistic scenario.

This will be the biggest fight of Benavidez’s career, at the biggest stage and for the biggest prize. But as seen in his fight with Gvozdyk, he gassed out in the later rounds. So, the WBC interim champion needs to adjust himself at 175 and mold his body to the vagaries of light heavyweight. How can he do that? He has enough time to squeeze in a tune-up fight against another top contender at 175, which will give him a clear impression of whether he belongs in the division or not.

Finding footing in the light heavyweight division against Joshua Buatsi

We know Joshua Buatsi had to tussle with outside-the-ring struggles, which also halted his career. The British boxer hasn’t lived up the expectations and has been largely inactive because of his tussle with Queensberry. But the #2 ranked WBC light heavyweight is inching closer to fighting Willy Hutchinson on his return to the squared circle, and if the result goes his way, he stands as the next most exciting fighter besides Benavidez. It’s rare when you see two explosive and fan-friendly boxers go to war. And whenever it has happened, the fans have flocked in, and the event has done well financially.

For Benavidez, it could be a fight where he irons out health issues and feels out the top competition at 175. It’s the most logical pick on this list but will he do it? It depends if the WBC decides to force his hands and pick one division at the earliest. Before that happens, Benavidez should fight it out with Buatsi or Hutchinson, if the latter emerges as the winner.

Defending his 168 lbs strap against Christian Mbilli

Why would Benavidez go back to 168? Wouldn’t a move to 168, after demolishing a former champion at 175, undo all his hard work? It depends on the WBC, actually. The promotion could force the super middleweight boxer’s hand to choose one division, and chances are high that he will end up sticking to his old division. The Pheonix native holds a size and weight advantage over most of his rivals at 168 and has used the same to become a two-time champion in the division.

Besides, with every win, the pressure on Alvarez mounts. He can pick apart the elite competition in the division, and in the end, only these two will be left behind and forced to meet inside the ring. Benavidez. can defend his WBC interim super middleweight title against Christian Mbilli. Similar to Benavidez, the Cameroonian-French fighter is a knockout artist, with 23 of his 27 wins coming by way of knockouts. He has surged in the ranks with his ability to finish fights and has swayed the fans with it.

You must be sensing a theme here now. Power puncher vs. power puncher. After all, that’s what moves the business of boxing. But there is a fight bigger than every other fight in the boxing world, and that is Alvarez vs. Benavidez.

The fight that everyone wants: Canelo Alvarez

Scathing rivalry? Check. Demand from fans? Check. Are exciting action and fireworks on offer? Also, check. Alvarez vs. Benavidez has every ingredient to label it the biggest fight that can be made right now. The fans want to witness how the undisputed champion fares against the relentless and high-output puncher.

It’s a fight every boxing fan is willing to pay to watch, and it’s high time to make this fight before the interest fizzles out. Additionally, ‘El Bandera Roja’ has earned the right to face Alvarez as he has been the WBC mandatory for two years, defending his interim title twice during the same duration. However, the champion demands a hefty paycheck to realize the fight, and that has been the biggest impediment. But there is one name that the challenger has thrown in the mix. Despite being unlikely, it is an interesting one.

An unlikely candidate for David Benavidez: Oleksandr Usyk

Yes, Benavidez has expressed his desire to meet the current undisputed heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk. Another running theme? He has the frame to accommodate and fight in the heavyweight division, too. But is he really going to push his limits to do it? Maybe. But in the future. Currently, he has enough on his table.

It could be Benavidez’s career’s twilight years when he makes the switch to heavyweight. Right now, he is already torn apart between 168 and 175.

What do you make of David Benavidez’s victory against Oleksandr Gvozdyk on June 15? Who do you think he should fight next? And where should he go next? Let us know in the comments below.