WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez will defend his title against Britain’s Anthony Yarde in November, Saudi boxing officials announced on July 3.
Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, confirmed the fight as part of Riyadh Season. The exact date and venue are yet to be finalised.
The bout will be Benavidez’s first since he was promoted to full champion status.
The 28-year-old previously held the interim belt, which he captured with a unanimous decision win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June 2024. He followed up with a victory against David Morrell in February, securing his position as the division’s leading contender.
Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) was elevated to champion earlier this year after former titleholder Dmitry Bivol opted for a trilogy bout against Artur Beterbiev rather than defend against the interim titleholder.
Long linked to a clash with Canelo Alvarez at super middleweight, Benavidez moved up in weight after failing to secure the fight.
His opponent, Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs), will be making his third attempt at a world title. The London-born fighter fell short in his first title shot against Sergey Kovalev in 2019 and again in 2023, when he was stopped by Beterbiev in a high-profile bout for the WBC, IBF and WBO titles.
Yarde returned to winning form in April with a points win over Lyndon Arthur on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn. He’ll now seek a breakthrough moment against one of the division’s most powerful and technically gifted champions.
The November contest adds another high-profile name to Riyadh Season, which has emerged as a key player in boxing’s global calendar. Further details on the card are expected in the coming weeks.
