Benavidez and Haney shine: New Mexican king and the future of boxing?

Benavidez and Haney Shine in Saudi Arabia: A Successful Saturday for Boxing

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was the scene of a vibrant night for boxing, where David Benavidez and Devin Haney proved their worth. Benavidez, with a dominant performance, defended his WBC and WBA super-middleweight titles, while Haney conquered the WBO welterweight title.

Benavidez: The New Face of Mexican Boxing?

David Benavidez, known as “The Mexican Monster”, offered a display of power and technique against Anthony Yarde. His technical knockout victory in the seventh round consolidated his position as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. With this victory, Benavidez could be opening the doors to become the new figure of Mexican boxing.

Benavidez, born in Phoenix, Arizona, but of Mexican descent, has expressed his desire to take over from Canelo Álvarez on the traditional dates of Mexican boxing: Cinco de Mayo and the weekend of Mexican Independence Day. I have some news for you. On May 2nd, I will face Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. I will move up to cruiserweight to fight for his titles. A Cinco de Mayo weekend showdown against a Mexican champion in another weight class would be the perfect strategy for Benavidez to be consecrated. His aggressive style and willingness to face any opponent distinguish him. At 29 years old, Benavidez has a promising future, while other boxing stars are beginning to age.

Devin Haney: A Questioned Champion?

Devin Haney, often criticized for his cautious style, showed a more aggressive side by defeating Brian Norman Jr. by unanimous decision and obtaining the WBO welterweight title.

Haney knocked down Norman in the second round, but again, failed to finish his opponent when he had the opportunity. Haney hasn’t achieved a knockout in six years. This victory may not be enough to silence his critics. Haney is a strategic and calculating boxer, similar to Floyd Mayweather, which allows him to get the fights he wants.

In 2024, I lost everything. Everything fell apart. In 2025, I came to get it back. In 2026, I’m going for everything.

Devin Haney

Eddie Hearn, promoter of Matchroom Boxing, is not a fan of Haney’s style.

You have to give credit and respect to Devin Haney. He has just become a three-division world champion, but nobody will want to watch him fight. He is fighting with fear.

Eddie Hearn

Now that he holds the WBO belt, Haney will have to face other champions if they want to unify the division. Options include the winner of the fight between Mario Barrios and Ryan Garcia, Lewis Crocker, or Rolando “Rolly” Romero. They will all believe they can beat Haney.

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez: Underrated Brilliance

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez unified three super flyweight world titles in a world-class performance against Fernando Martinez. Rodriguez is a big star and it’s time to treat him as such.

His fights are always exciting and he looks for the knockout as soon as he sees the opportunity. He will face the winner of the fight between Willibaldo Garcia Perez and Kenshiro Teraji on December 27th. Despite not being very well known, his talent is undeniable and he deserves to be recognized as a boxing star.

Abdullah Mason: Lessons in Resilience

Abdullah Mason became the youngest boxing champion by defeating Sam Noakes by unanimous decision and winning the WBO lightweight title. Mason, 21, learned a valuable lesson about perseverance.

Mason showed his talent, but had to deal with Noakes’ tenacity. This victory will be fundamental in Mason’s development as a boxer. Now, as champion, he must improve his defense. In a division with a wide range of styles, Mason will have to rely more on his will.