WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman today confirmed that the 175-pound David Banavidez interim champion is the new light-weight light-weight light-weighted after Dmitri BiVolt waived his title with the WBC’s organization.
A WBC-ordered wallet bid is scheduled for Biblical battle with Benavidez tomorrow, but Dmitry chose to stand off his belt so that he could take part in a trilogy match with Artur Betterurbiev.
The new king
Benavidez would have chosen to win the 175-pound WBC title in the traditional way by challenging Bivolol for it, but what can do if he doesn’t want to fight. Not only did he want to pass ugly and let Biblical sit on ice while fighting again against Betterbiev. There would be no guarantees that the winner of the Bivol-Beterbiev would have fought 3 battle against him. They could have chosen to go for a fourth fight or evacuate, and place benavidez where he is now.
According to Biblical (24-1, 12 COs), he would have chosen to hold his WBC belt, but the WBC forced his hand by ordering him to face “the Mexican Monster” benavidez next. It would not have been difficult for Biblical to keep his trilogy match with Artur, 40, but the Saudi wanted the next one.
Why Biblical evacuated
Dmitri, who defends his WBC belt against Banavidez, would not have been a sure victory either. If it were a piece of cake, Biblical light would have been given the green light to face benavidez, and then fight the trilogy with better biev (21-1, 20 coes) afterwards.
There was too much chance that Biblical would lose and be quite badly beaten by benavidez, which would drain the little interest of the box the public still had to see the trilogy.
Given the rumors 55k ppv purchase on Dazn of US fans in the second Betterbiev against Biblical match on February 22, it would have been Dmitri ominous to defend his WBC title against David Banavid. He would have lost the fight and then a trilogy with better biev would not be worthy.
They could put it on PPV, and they would be happy to bring in 20k. In any case, fans are tired of that boring battle, but they will be very ill if Benavidez sent Biblical to the next galaxy.
Next up
We will see who he is facing now that benavidez is the new WBC Light Heavyweight Champion. These are some of the options:
– Callum Smith
– David Morrell: *Rematch
– Anthony Yarde
– Wily Hutchinson
– Lyndon Arthur
– Edgar Berlanga: *If he prefers to move on
I have just received a cold and impersonal notice from Dmitri Bivol lawyer, Patrick English, with arguments so ridiculous that I do not inform the WBC that Dmitri Bivol has decided to relinquish his WBC lightweight championship. We wish Biblical …
– Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) April 7, 2025
Last updated on 04/07/2025
