David Benavidez said that Turki Arasheh approached him and wanted to compete with former two-time super middleweight world champion Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) and world champion Terrence three-weight. Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) may fight.
Last week in New York, Alash and Eddie Hearn confirmed that Crawford would challenge WBA champion Israel Madrimov (10-0-1, 7KOs), who reached middleweight.
The event will be Alashih’s first visit to the United States, following the strong influence of Saudi Arabia’s Greatest Entertainment Power in the world of boxing.
Benavidez was upset when Saul Canelo Alvarez refused to give the “Mexican Freak” a shot at the super middleweight title, moving up to the lightweight division at 175-pounds and fighting Oleksandr Gvozdyk (20-1, 16KOs) on 15. June at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. With a win over Gvozdyk, Benavidez will qualify to challenge the winner of the June 1 fight between Beterbiev and Bivol. Benavidez’s decision to move up to 175 pounds was not the only one. The Mexican revealed to Sean Zittel that Arasheh had previously asked him to fight Terrence Crawford in a 160-pound middleweight bout.
Alalshikh Had Hoped To Match Benavidez With Crawford https://t.co/9HhR9ws7oD
— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) April 29, 2024
Benavidez explained to Sean Zittel’s YouTube channel that while Arashih is trying to create a fight between him and Crawford, 160 pounds will put him in preparation for the August fight.
– I told Türkiye that he is a good man. They want me to fight in August,” Benavidez told Zittel. – I told them I’m from PBC – and we got this big card [June 15]. So, I think this is just a conversation that opens the door (to what’s possible) that we can achieve. We never got to that point.
– He [Alalshikh] told me a hero. Benavidez said he wanted me to get down to 160kg and fight Crawford, before saying it was clear that the weight cut was impossible. “I said, ‘Oh, I can’t do this.’ If I can get 160, that’s great, but I can’t remember the last time I weighed 160.
Ashley’s View:
Turki Alarcik’s claim to follow in the footsteps of boxing greats such as David Benavidez and Terrence Crawford adds an interesting dimension to the story of the sport. Benavidez’s revelation that Alarusik is interested in arranging a fight with Crawford highlights the growing influence of Saudi Arabia’s boxing upstart. Although logistical challenges may hamper immediate plans, the exchange between Benavidez and Alarusik hints at the possibility of future cooperation and cross-continental encounters. As Alarusik pushes his way into the world of professional boxing, his eagerness to collaborate with top talent reflects broader trends of globalization in the sport.
