David Benavidez to face big punching Brit and it is not Callum Smith

David Benavidez will face Anthony Yarde in November as he makes the first defence of his WBC light-heavyweight crown. 

The Arizona man had been linked to several fights, and it had been speculated last month that he would be facing Liverpool's Callum Smith later this year. 

Ironically, earlier this year, it was reported that Smith and Yarde were in negotiations to headline a show that would see Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren go at it for a second time. 

Despite all these long talks, it is now Yarde who will get a shot at Benavidez with the fight set to take place in Saudi Arabia at the backend of the year. 

Benavidez goes into the fight on the back of an impressive win against David Morrell and victory will see him enter the ix for a showdown with either Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev next year. 

Yarde remained in the hunt for a big fight back in April when he outpointed Lyndon Arthur on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn. 

Details are still not available for what the next move is for Smith, but you can guarantee he will be watching Benavidez vs Yarde closely.

 

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