David Benavidez

David Benavidez is an American professional boxer whose career has included world championships at super-middleweight, light-heavyweight and cruiserweight.

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About David Benavidez

Profile information current to 2026-08-18.

United States · Professional boxer

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Known for: World championship boxing; Championships across multiple weight classes
Country: United States

Professional boxer

At a glance

As of August 2026, sanctioning-body records listed Benavidez as a WBC and WBA light-heavyweight champion and a WBA Super and WBO cruiserweight champion.
He became the youngest super-middleweight world champion at age 20 by defeating Ronald Gavril in September 2017.

Background

Benavidez was born on December 17, 1996, in Phoenix, Arizona. He is Mexican-American and was raised in a boxing family alongside his older brother, boxer José Benavidez Jr.; their father, José Benavidez Sr., has trained him.

Super-middleweight career

After turning professional in 2013, Benavidez won his first world title against Ronald Gavril in 2017 and later became a two-time WBC super-middleweight champion. His first reign ended following a positive test under the WBC Clean Boxing Program; after regaining the title against Anthony Dirrell in 2019, he lost it on the scale when he failed to make the 168-pound limit before his August 2020 bout with Roamer Alexis Angulo.

Titles in higher weight classes

Benavidez moved to light-heavyweight in 2024, winning the interim WBC title against Oleksandr Gvozdyk before being confirmed as full champion in April 2025. In May 2026, he knocked out Gilberto Ramirez to capture the WBA Super and WBO cruiserweight championships, extending his championship record across three weight classes.

Timeline

2013-08-17 Made his professional debut with a first-round knockout of Erasmo Mendoza.
2017-09-08 Defeated Ronald Gavril to become the youngest super-middleweight world champion at age 20.
2019-09-28 Defeated Anthony Dirrell to regain the WBC super-middleweight championship.
2024-06-15 Defeated Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his light-heavyweight debut and won the interim WBC title.
2025-04-07 Was confirmed as full WBC light-heavyweight champion after Dmitry Bivol vacated the title.
2026-05-02 Knocked out Gilberto Ramirez to capture the WBA Super and WBO cruiserweight championships.

Additional verified details

Current context

Benavidez is listed as WBC light-heavyweight champion, WBA light-heavyweight world champion, WBA Super cruiserweight champion and WBO cruiserweight champion. The latest specific WBA rankings located were dated June 30, 2026; the WBC and WBO champion pages were accessed on August 18, 2026.
His latest documented professional record is 32 wins, no losses and 26 knockouts. No later completed professional bout was identified in the concise-depth search.

Biographical facts

David Benavidez was born on December 17, 1996, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Benavidez is Mexican-American, is the younger brother of boxer José Benavidez Jr., and has been trained by their father, José Benavidez Sr.
Benavidez was a two-time WBC super-middleweight champion; his two reigns ended following a positive test under the WBC Clean Boxing Program and, later, a failure to make the 168-pound limit.