Benavidez to face Andrade in Nov. 25 interim title fight
The fight between David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade is finally official.
Benavidez is scheduled to defend his WBC interim super middleweight title against Andrade on Nov. 25. The matchup will headline a Showtime pay-per-view card at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.
The winner between Benavidez and Andrade will be in prime position for a shot at Canelo Álvarez's undisputed super middleweight title. Benavidez, one of the most exciting young fighters in boxing, has been calling for a bout against Álvarez for years.
"I'm focused on Andrade," Benavidez told ESPN's Mike Coppinger this past weekend. "But after this fight, the WBC should mandate the No. 1 contender. After I beat Andrade, we'll be in a pretty good spot to make the fight (against Álvarez) happen for me."
Benavidez is coming off a career-best victory, a unanimous decision win over Caleb Plant in March. The 26-year-old has held the WBC interim title since May 2022 and is a former two-time WBC super middleweight champion. Benavidez is 27-0 as a professional with 23 knockouts.
Andrade, the former WBO middleweight and light middleweight champion, returned to action in January after a 14-month layoff and won a 10-round decision over Demond Nicholson. Andrade is 32-0.