David Benavidez To Replace Callum Smith In WBC Super Middleweight Title Fight
With Callum Smith out of the running for the vacant WBC super middleweight title match, Anthony Dirrell will now have to fight David Benavidez.
Benavidez promoter Sampson Lewkowicz told ESPN that the WBC have ordered the 20-year-old boxer and Dirrell to fight for the vacant title. The two have until July 28 to strike a deal before the fight would undergo a purse bid.
“The fight will be in late October or the beginning of November. I have no doubt he will be the youngest super middleweight champion in history,” Lewkowicz said.
Benavidez, the No. 4 ranked boxer in the official WBC rankings, will get his first crack at a world title after winning his first two fights this year. Benavidez, also the 2017 Fightful prospect of the mid-year, has won 17 of his 18 wins via KO. Benavidez, a former WBC super middleweight champion, lost his title to Badou Jack, followed by Jack vacating his belt after fighting James DeGale to a draw in a unification bout this past January.
Benavidez has a chance to become the youngest super middleweight world champion in the sport’s history. The previous record was held by Darrin Van Horn, who was 22 years old when he knocked out Lindell Holmes to win the IBF version title in 1991.
Dirrell was supposed to fight Smith for the vacant, but Smith decided to forget about the fight and instead join the World Boxing Super Series’ super middleweight tournament, where he is the tournament’s No. 2 seed. The tournament also features WBA “super” super middleweight champion George Groves, who is the top seed.
