December 16, 2021
Boxing News

WBC OKs Benavidez-Lemieux for interim 168lb belt

The WBC granted WBC super middleweight champion Saul Canelo Alvarez special permission to challenge Ilunga Makabu, the WBC champion in the cruiserweight division in 2022. As a result, the WBC Board of Governors approved a WBC interim championship in the division which will be contested by #1 David Benavidez and #2 David Lemieux. Showtime already has the fight in the pipeline for spring.

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  • This will be explosive for as long as it lasts. I’ll go with Benavidez in five.

    • I agree, Benavidez’s gritty onslaught of stalking and power punching governed by a tough chin will subdue Lemieux within 5 rounds. Lemieux has some mileage on his motor with some wear and tear. Benavidez will chop Lemieux down each subsequent round and make him fold up.

    • Keep giving me thumbs down! Unless it’s a draw, any knowledgeable boxing fan knows that David will win. Use your brain! 😉

    • I read that thinking David Lemieux, who I think will get KO’d. I, as a French Canadian myself, have always rooted for Lemieux, but he just can’t seem to compete with high level fighters. He looks like an absolute beast in training and against decent fighters and fringe contenders, but it never seems to translate against top tier fighters…maybe it’s his accent

      • I agree. Very good fighter, beats everyone except the very best. Always exciting to watch even his losses.

  • Bombs away!
    I’d be shocked if Canelo came back to 168 after cruiserweight, so this might be for a full title in a little while.

  • yuck, and no thanks. this is a two round “fight”. the guy ggg knocked out easy in 2 rubio, knocked out undefeated lemeuex. nuff said.

    • Yes, maybe one sided fight, but it will be exciting for as long as it goes maybe 4 rounds.

  • This is a sort of “leave Canelo alone, do you wanna a belt? there you go”. This is a protective move from the WBC in Canelo’s favor. If they were honest, Benavidez-Lemieux should be an eliminator fight, being Canelo obligated to face the winner, three to four months after. Instead you will see Canelo fighting selected opponents through 2022 and maybe 2023, vacating belts in the process.

  • Ok Benavidez:

    1) Keep it simple.
    2) Get in shape.
    3) Maintain your skills.
    4) Make weight, make weight and make weight!!.
    5) Win by TKO or KO.
    6) After your TKO or KO victory, respectfully call out Canelo during any/all interviews.
    7) Cross your fingers and hope you get to fight Canelo in Texas, for a major scrap at 168!!

    • Not happening!!! Canelo didnt give up the strap to move up in weight just to come back down and fight Benavidez. Doesn’t make sense. He already know Benavidez is a deserving top fighter. A KO over Lemieux does nothing to get a Canelo fight.
      Why was Makabu so deserving again? Where are the Canelo boy fans that love to talk about who doesn’t deserve a fight? No complaints when the opponent isnt as dangerous.
      “3) Maintain your skills.” Lmao

  • If David can make weight, it will be easy work.
    If not he’ll still win easy but it’ll be like the last two for no belt so in this fight his only real opponent will be the scale.

  • An overwhelmingly easy assignment for David. Yes, David is a warrior, but the swarm of punches will be too much him, especially if David charges straight in.

    I’m agreeing with everyone else here: The winner, David no matter what.

  • To be honest, at first I was like really?? David Lemieux?!!! Isn’t he gone already? However, after some more thought and consideration it’s actually a decent fight! Not gonna lie, I’d rather see Benavidez vs Canelo or Plant, but in the interim I’ll take it! Charlo’s a freaking Wuss!!!!!!

    • Great fighters fight great opponents. WBC is simply protecting Alvarez. Mayweather. GGG. All beat him. This fight is a miss match. He is only chasing belts not the greats.

  • Lemieux is very enertaining with his KO power but lack of versatility kinda like Adam Kownacki allways entertaing to watch

    • Dovid-Well said, it’s like there’s never a plan b with Lemiuex. He knows how to box one way, and that’s to go in and launch an assault on his opponent. Good plan, but that’s not going to work on most top level fighters. He has a very hard time adapting and making adjustments to different styes.

  • The wbc is a crooked organization those bastards protecting canelo from benividez his mandatory making david fight this unnecessary fight so canelo can keep running canelo is a coward a p4p bytch.

  • Good fight to make, good precursor to the possibility of a fight vs Canelo if he wants it down the line. Lemieux is a good name/contender to provide more legitimacy for Benavidez. I’m sure if David trains hard he will get the win. At this point in their careers Benavidez has solid odds for the W.

    • BJ-This fight looks attractive on paper, as did Lemieux-GGG, because everyone knows Lemieux can bang. I see this fight as a mismatch, with Benavidez winning easily.

  • BS fight that the french-canadian does not deserve and has not earned. They will keep protecting benavidez while calling him the most legitimate challenger for Canelo, when he is not. Would you like to dispute me? Please name me the very best fighter on Benavidez resume, because what I have is an old Anthony Dirrell who was never that good anyway.

    • Chris, I’m way late on this, so I doubt you’ll see it, but is it really fair to criticize Benevidez’ resume in this Division? Seriously, who did Plant have on his list? Callum Smith? This Division’s best names are guys that moved up: Daniel Jacob’s, B J Saunders, even Lemieux and of course Canelo. And most if not all have avoided Benevidez for various reasons, but mainly I think it’s a risk vs reward issue. He lost his title on the scale and hasn’t become a huge draw yet. It takes a guy like Lemieux who’s late in his career and a paper title incentive to even make this fight. I like the fight stylistically and while I expect Benevidez to continue to impress Lemieux definitely has a puncher’s chance.

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