Teofimo Lopez has singled out the only boxer he thinks is capable of giving David Benavidez a real challenge, following the undefeated fighter’s dominant win over Gilberto Ramirez.
Known as ‘The Mexican Monster,’ Benavidez stopped Ramirez in the sixth round of their last bout, claiming the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles and becoming a three-division world champion in the process. Since that victory, fans have speculated about potential matchups against former cruiserweight king Jai Opetaia or even heavyweight star Oleksandr Usyk.
While those fights would certainly attract attention, a more realistic scenario sees the 29-year-old Benavidez heading into an undisputed clash with Dmitry Bivol. Early discussions between the two camps have already taken place, with Bivol expected to defend his titles successfully against Michael Eifert on May 30. That fight would be Bivol’s first since he captured all four major light-heavyweight belts in February 2025, avenging his loss to Artur Beterbiev via majority decision.
Bivol then opted for back surgery rather than making a mandatory defense of his WBC title, which allowed Benavidez to be elevated from interim to full light-heavyweight champion. Before that, Benavidez had earned a hard-fought points victory over David Morrell, a factor that partly explains why Lopez sees Bivol as a serious test for the volume puncher.
Speaking with Fight Hub TV and other outlets, Lopez explained why Bivol’s style would create an intriguing contest. “The only person that could probably challenge him would be Bivol… just because of the distance. David Morrell gave him a tough fight, and that was just from the range,” Lopez said.
Bivol is widely recognized for his expert distance control and in-and-out movement, qualities that Lopez believes make him the ideal opponent to push Benavidez to his limits.
