BoxRec

Gvozdyk Keen To ‘Nail’ Down Benavidez Fight In June In Las Vegas

Light heavyweight contender Oleksandr Gvozdyk has agreed terms to fight David Benavidez in Las Vegas in June.

Fight fans had been hoping Benavidez was ready to take the call from Canelo Alvarez to box in May, but Gvozdyk – "The Nail" – is now very much in the frame for Benavidez.

Former WBC champion Gvozdyk, 36, is currently at number two in the WBC rankings. Benavidez is unranked at 175 pounds, but he does hold the interim title at super middleweight.

“As they say, there is no smoke without fire,” Gvozdyk said in an exclusive interview. “They have made an offer, I have said ‘yes’ and now start working towards it. There is not much more that I can tell you, this only started happening yesterday. I’ve immediately said ‘yes’ and that is it so far.

“My trainer came to me and told me about this fight, I think it is awesome. This is why I came back to boxing, to fight at the top level.

“I want to be champion again, and to fight for the mandatory position is amazing, it will then be for all four belts. It is perfect. I assume it will be pay-per-view, he’s one of the biggest names out there. It couldn’t be better for me. From what I know it will be in June or July.”

Benavidez is directly in line for boxing’s cash cow Canelo Alvarez. The 27-year-old is among the few names to face Canelo in his next bout, but Benavidez and his team have long talked of a move to 175 pounds.

Gvozdyk’s only loss in his career to date came in a brutal 10-round defeat to Artur Beterbiev in Philadelphia in 2019 while 27-year-old Benavidez is undefeated in 28 fights.

“I don’t see why they would make me an offer if they are going to fight Canelo,” Gvozdyk added. “It doesn’t make sense, Canelo is going to fight in May, we would fight in June or July. Benavidez is a great fighter, he is still going to be very big at light heavyweight. People call him The Monster Bandera for a reason, come on. At 168 he was huge, but he will be bigger than me even at 175.

“It will be a very tough fight and a very tough challenge.”

Sampson Lewkowicz, Benavidez’s manager, confirmed the proposed fight with Gvozdyk, 20-1 (16 KOs) was on the cards, but said no venue has been set. He also added that Canelo’s team had turned down $55m plus Mexican TV rights and a share of PPV profits, but the offer was declined.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman wrote on X; “Very proud to announce a sensational fight which the WBC has approved to sanction for the interim light heavyweight championship Benavidez vs Gvozdyk. Wish the best of luck for both champions @Benavidez300 vs @AlexandrGvozdyk @TGBpromotions @premierboxing.”

Good fight if it happens.

gregregegg wrote: ↑23 Feb 2024, 22:00 Good fight if it happens.

yup, I Iike Bena wanting to move on to bigger and better things and not begging to fight Canelo.

Really like Gvozdyk but I wonder what he has left after getting brutally KO’d by Beterbiev, then taking almost three years off. He beat three nobodies last year so it’s hard to say and he’ll be 37 in June. This would have been a great fight in 2018 or 2019 (and I would have picked Gvozdyk)

giacomino wrote: ↑24 Feb 2024, 04:35 Really like Gvozdyk but I wonder what he has left after getting brutally KO’d by Beterbiev, then taking almost three years off. He beat three nobodies last year so it’s hard to say and he’ll be 37 in June. This would have been a great fight in 2018 or 2019 (and I would have picked Gvozdyk)

It is a big unknown and he isnt crazy old. past prime yes. bad KO yes. time off yes... but mabey time of after a KO is a good thing. and mabey although he is 36/37 those 3 years off rather than making him super rusty have given his body a break.

bolotnicks isnt a complete unknown. doing him in 6 is handy work. and the guy he did in 2 rounds had recently gone the distance vs revera who is solid enough. but miles from top class both of them.

As we both probably agree. very very hard to know what he has left. but he is younger than usyk, and same age as loma.... im sure he stayed in the gym a bit... i hope he has enough left for another run. but i have my doubts.

Trainer and former light heavyweight contender John Scully has slammed the WBC for greenlighting a WBC interim light heavyweight title fight between David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June.

“Them appointing one of these guys as the interim champion is insanity,” charged Scully. “It is an aspect of boxing I absolutely hate. I think many people don’t even realize that an interim champion is not necessary whatsoever. The real champion is active and ready to go at all times. It is unnecessary and it is wrong.”

Beterbiev is 20-0 with all 20 wins coming by stoppage. He also holds the IBF and WBO titles, while Bivol owns the WBA version.

“The idea that one of these guys is going to call himself a WBC world champion afterwards is insane,” Scully added, talking about the proposed interim bout. “But I refuse to acknowledge them whatsoever. They are absolutely not going to go down in history as a world light heavyweight champion unless they can somehow fight and defeat Artur. I cannot believe anyone in the boxing game would allow this to happen.”

If Benavidez-Gvozdyk happens, Scully believes any recognition of being a champion should not be afforded to them, given Beterbeiev’s standing.

“Let me add that I hope the winner somehow has the honor and the intelligence and is in the grasp of reality to tell people that he will not feel like a real champion until he beats the real champion,” continued Scully. “Otherwise, someone walking around with one of those belts, pretending that they are the only one [champion] is a tragic joke and a slap in the face to our game.”

Sulaiman had taken to X earlier in the week to write: “Very proud to announce a sensational fight. @WBCBoxing has approved to sanction for the interim Light heavyweight championship Benavidez vs Gvozdyk. Wish the best of luck for both champions.”

Scully fired back on social media: “Artur is WBC champion. PERIOD!!!!! This is a fake made up title. It is a joke. This should not be allowed. Somebody has to step in and STOP this stupidity!!!!! Sorry BUT THIS IS NOT RIGHT!!!!”

I don't know, maybe David will be too soft at 175 lbs

6'2, fought at 168 for over a decade (weighed 180 when he was 16 boxing).. Im not concerned benavidez will be too small for 175, im concerned that if he goes up he will never make it back to 168....

Benavidez is fresher ang younger. Gvozdyk will end up like vs Bert.

Beterbiev beat the fight out of Gvozdyk. I don’t really like this fight.

Beterbiev v Benavidez I’d like to see.

Great fight, if it happens. Bigger risk for Benavidez. Gvozdyk has not lost his top shelf boxing skills. He has been prudent about getting back into top shape. This is a huge opportunity for him to thrust himself back into the middle of the LHW mix.

Gotta love Benavidez’s willingness to challenge himself. If he gets by Gvozdyk, he will be in line for Canelo or for the winner of Beterbiev v Bivol, if they fight.

The leap up looks good for Benavidez.
If he pulls it off he'll come out smelling like roses.
Seen the Gvozdyk record ?

Evander wrote: ↑14 Mar 2024, 02:13 The leap up looks good for Benavidez.
If he pulls it off he'll come out smelling like roses.
Seen the Gvozdyk record ?

I wouldn’t call it a “leap up,” but it definitely is a good look if he pulls it off. Benavidez has not faced anyone as dangerous as Gvozdyk, with the combination of skill and power. However, this is at least as big a step up for Gvozdyk, considering recent activity and trajectory of their respective careers.

Great matchmaking, if it happens.

ironbeard wrote: ↑15 Mar 2024, 14:55

Evander wrote: ↑14 Mar 2024, 02:13 The leap up looks good for Benavidez.
If he pulls it off he'll come out smelling like roses.
Seen the Gvozdyk record ?

I wouldn’t call it a “leap up,” but it definitely is a good look if he pulls it off. Benavidez has not faced anyone as dangerous as Gvozdyk, with the combination of skill and power. However, this is at least as big a step up for Gvozdyk, considering recent activity and trajectory of their respective careers.

Great matchmaking, if it happens.

168 to 175 ... It's a leap, it's not easy.
Since Beterbiev in October of 2019 Gvozdyk has fought three times, all of them between Febuary 2023 and September 2023 and hasn't fought since.
What does that tell you ?

Evander wrote: ↑15 Mar 2024, 19:02

ironbeard wrote: ↑15 Mar 2024, 14:55

Evander wrote: ↑14 Mar 2024, 02:13 The leap up looks good for Benavidez.
If he pulls it off he'll come out smelling like roses.
Seen the Gvozdyk record ?

I wouldn’t call it a “leap up,” but it definitely is a good look if he pulls it off. Benavidez has not faced anyone as dangerous as Gvozdyk, with the combination of skill and power. However, this is at least as big a step up for Gvozdyk, considering recent activity and trajectory of their respective careers.

Great matchmaking, if it happens.

168 to 175 ... It's a leap, it's not easy.
Since Beterbiev in October of 2019 Gvozdyk has fought three times, all of them between Febuary 2023 and September 2023 and hasn't fought since.
What does that tell you ?

I do not consider it a leap for Benavidez. If anything, he should have taken the step up a bit earlier, but he has been trolling for the Canelo payday.

Gvozdyk fighting three times in the last 13 months tells me he has been sharpening his skills after a 40 month hiatus. The fact that he has not fought since September suggests that he considers himself ready, and he has been waiting for a big fight and decent payday.

It shapes up to be an excellent, exciting match of styles and wills between a boxer in his prime and one who is shooting for another shot at an LHW belt. Gvozdyk’s break will prove to have been beneficial if he wins this fight.

Big if.

ironbeard wrote: ↑15 Mar 2024, 19:40
Gvozdyk fighting three times in the last 13 months tells me he has been sharpening his skills after a 40 month hiatus. The fact that he has not fought since September suggests that he considers himself ready, and he has been waiting for a big fight and decent payday.

I don't see it like that at all.
I see it as he's squeezed 3 bouts into a short schedule to buy his way into a legit opponent proposition to box David Benavidez who is moving up.
What has he been doing for five years.

its at 175 ?

apollo creed wrote: ↑16 Mar 2024, 10:59 its at 175 ?

It is but all is not clear according to Gvodzyk.


"Let's start with specifics right away. This date, June 15, is not confirmed. This information with the date of the fight appeared on the network a long time ago, but in the contract I signed there was a different date.

There were two base dates for the Las Vegas show two weeks apart. One was in late June and the other was in early July.

I'm not going to give you the exact date. I don't think it's the right thing to do. So far,"


In any case, this seems like one of those high risk / low reward banana skins for Benavidez whilst he attempts to force Canelo to sign.

The best way to do that would be to try to dismantle Gvodzyk in a more convincing manner than Beterbiev did. Of course, a too convincing a win might just frighten off Canelo permanently.

A defeat of course means kissing goodbye to an untold $milliions superfight.

Definitely a high risk, low reward gamble from Benavidez.


https://ringside24.com/en/124100-gvozdi ... -benavides

Fact that Benavidez moves to 175 in itself is a big deal.
He's a Top 3 hot boxer so it's must watch automatically.
I'm expecting a worn Gvozdyk, let's see what happens.

Was this bout ever actually confirmed?

Oleksandr Gvozdyk Confirms David Benavidez Fight Will Happen In Houston On June 22

Former light heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk is due to face the division’s newcomer David Benavidez for a mandated WBC interim title despite no formal announcement.

“It’s not even been announced yet because everybody already knows due to inside sources,” Gvozdyk said, in an exclusive interview with BS. “I don’t know what they are doing, maybe they don’t want it before they announce another fight or something like that. PBC, They haven’t really advertised any of the shows from what I have seen, but I don’t know, I'm guessing.

“I was told a date that I told you before, of June 21st, which is in my contract, but the fight has moved to Houston. It is all legit, the fight will now be in Houston on June 22nd.”

Gvozdyk, 20-1 (16 KOs), has seen his upcoming-unannounced counterpart become embroiled with all things Canelo.

“I don’t really care,” Gvozdyk explained regarding Canelo. “It does affect anything really. It doesn’t affect the status of the fight, it doesn’t affect my opponent, it doesn’t affect my purse. It might affect my ego, but I’m cool with my ego so I don’t give a s***. I don’t care whatsoever, just get me in line for a title fight, that’s all I need. All the TV and YouTube, being broadcasted everywhere, I don’t care. As long as I get my fights.”

Benavidez, 28-0 (24 KOs), moves up to debut at 175 pounds against the Ukrainian. He is coming off victories over Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade in 2023. Benavidez appears to have become the media’s favored opponent for Canelo after Jaime Munguia on May 4.

“Benavidez is a great fighter,” Gvozdyk continued, “but he is fighting me, not Canelo next. If I was him I would be focusing on my upcoming fight, not focusing on Canelo because he is scheduled to fight Munguia. If they are looking over me then… well it’s not what I’m hoping for, but if that’s what it is then I’ll appreciate it. If they are looking over me then perfect. It will make it easier for me. They say he is a monster, they need to give him more chances to survive.”

Benavidez recently appeared drunk while being interviewed on live TV, leading to many questioning his commitment.

“I will be expecting his best version,” Gvozdyk added. “Yes we saw him drunk on TV, but we are more than two months away from the fight, he probably hasn’t even started his camp yet. If he has the time to have fun and relax, then why not? Sometimes people drink, it’s not prohibited. It’s up to him, but maybe his fans don’t want to see him this way. For me though, I don’t care. If he does keep drinking and not training, then perfect. It will be easier for me.

“Recently, I’ve been over with Gilberto Ramirez helping him out for his world title fight. He looked faultless actually in that fight. I’m on the same routine as normal, but the levels have come up a bit for these big fights in training. It’s a big step on from my last fight, but I’ve faced this type of quality before.”

All right June 22nd it is

Fight Week!!

david breaks him of course