Benavidez has been under suspension for cocaine use
As a site that gets pissy when we source them and whose name can be sung to the tune of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” reported late last week, WBC super middleweight “champion-in-recess” David Benavidez will return to the ring on March 16th as part of the Errol Spence Jr.-Mikey Garcia card in Arlington, Texas.
Benavidez (20-0, 17 KO) last fought in February, decisively beating Ronald Gavril in a rematch of their extremely close 2017 battle. He was all set to fight former champ Anthony Dirrell in his second title defense, only to test positive for cocaine. He was subsequently stripped of his title, leaving Dirrell to fight Avni Yildrim (21-1, 12 KO) for the vacant belt on February 23rd, 2019.
As the article states, Benavidez will be the mandatory challenger for whoever wins that fight assuming he wins his comeback fight. His promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, says that they intend to pit him against “a top contender” rather than a soft touch.
