David Benavidez and David Lemieux will battle for the WBC interim title
The WBC” Special Privilege Program” granted undisputed middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez permission to challenge WBC cruiserweight champion llunga Makabu. This placed the super middleweight division on hold. Now it seems the top two fighters, David “Red Flag” Benavidez (25-0, 22ko) and David Lemieux (43-4, 36ko), will do battle for the WBC interim title.
Social media was hit with news by the WBC that the two former world champions will collide.
THE TALE OF TWO DAVIDS
Lemieux has been around the block. He was a former IBF middleweight champion before losing the title to Gennady “GGG” Golovkin back in 2015. He would work his way back up into title contention fighting then WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders in 2017. Now looking to compete in the super middleweight division, the 32-year-old Canadian has won three fights in a row at super middleweight.
Benavidez has been a hot topic on social media thanks to his public feud against WBC middleweight champion Jermall “Hit Man” Charlo. The two have been barking back and forth on social media, with Red Flag calling the champion out of his name.
“Charlo want to get it too? He don’t want to get in the ring with me because he is a pussy that’s why!”
David Benavidez
Moreover, he is a two-time divisional champion after losing the title once from a failed drug test, and again on the scale, coming in overweight against Roamer Alexis Angulo in 2020.
WILL THE WINNER FIGHT ALVAREZ?
The question both fighters will undoubtedly want answered is: will the victor get a shot at fighting Alvarez for the undisputed prize? Keep in mind, as of right now, the fight with Makabu is not a done deal. The WBC cruiserweight number one contender, Thabiso Mchunu, has not agreed to step aside.
Furthermore, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum claims that the Mexican mega-star wants to fight either unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev or WBO champion Joe Smith Jr.
“He [Alvarez] has expressed interest to me about fighting Beterbiev or Joe Smith Jr. I would look forward to May or September.”
Bob Arum, Top Rank CEO
At this point in his career, the undisputed super middleweight champion is only interested in fighting for titles. It could leave both Benavidez and Lemieux on the outside looking in. However, the winner could be elevated from interim champion to full champion if the WBC decides to place the franchise tag on Alvarez for a second time.
With so many directions this can go, 3kingsboxing will continue to monitor this situation for further development.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
By: Garrisson Bland
