MANCHESTER — David Benavidez has officially vacated his WBC light-heavyweight world title, signaling his permanent departure from the 175-pound division. The 29-year-old, who previously surrendered his WBA regular belt at the same weight, has opted to focus on his future in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions.
The vacancy created by Benavidez’s decision has led to a significant update for the upcoming rematch between Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchison. The bout, scheduled for November 7 at the AO Arena in Manchester, will now be contested for the vacant WBC light-heavyweight world title rather than the interim belt as originally planned. This change provides both British fighters an opportunity to secure world honors for the first time.
Benavidez, who moved up to cruiserweight in May to capture the WBA and WBO belts with a victory over Gilberto Ramirez, has confirmed he will not return to light-heavyweight. He is currently preparing for a December contest against Mikael Cieslak for the WBC cruiserweight title. Looking ahead, Benavidez has identified a potential clash with IBF champion Jai Opetaia or a future move to the heavyweight division to face Oleksandr Usyk as his primary career objectives.