Benavidez’s Manager Demands WBC Title Shot – Riyadh Season Offered Step-Aside Money

Samson Lewkowicz, manager of WBC interim and WBA regular light heavyweight champion David Benavidez, has declared that their team is demanding a shot at the full WBC world title, currently held by Dmitry Bivol.

“This is the only fight we want. There are no other options. Everyone’s talking about Callum Smith right now. That fight can only happen if it’s for the WBC title. The full title, nothing else. No more interim belts for Benavidez,” said Lewkowicz.

He also revealed that Riyadh Season had offered them a lucrative step-aside deal to fight someone else instead.

“They offered good money, but money only buys loyalty. Our goal right now is the WBC title,” Lewkowicz stated firmly.

Previously, the WBC had announced that the winner of Benavidez vs. Morrell would become the mandatory challenger for the full title. Benavidez won that bout by decision.

However, Turki Alalshikh, head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, later stated that he is not interested in organizing a fight between Bivol and Benavidez. Instead, he aims to stage a trilogy between Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, whose rivalry currently stands at 1–1.