David Benavidez has vacated his WBC light heavyweight title, and the November 7 rematch between Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson is now a fight for the full world championship, according to reports.
The bout at AO Arena in Manchester, promoted by Queensberry and live on DAZN, had been billed as a fight for the WBC interim title. Benavidez made the vacancy a matter of time when he said on DAZN’s Inside The Ring in September that he isn’t returning to 175 pounds. He said he feels great at his current weight and no longer has to cut down for it.
How Benavidez got here
Benavidez won the interim WBC belt by outpointing Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June 2024, then became full champion in April 2025 when Dmitry Bivol vacated rather than face him. He made one defense as full titleholder, stopping Anthony Yarde in the seventh round, before the WBC let him move up to cruiserweight without giving up the 175-pound belt.
In May he stopped Gilberto Ramirez in six rounds to win the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles. The WBA had already dropped him as its regular light heavyweight champion in its September 30 update. Benavidez is now expected to face Michal Cieslak at cruiserweight in December, with a possible Jai Opetaia fight discussed beyond that.
What it means for Buatsi and Hutchinson
Buatsi (20-1, 13 KOs) beat Hutchinson (20-2, 14 KOs) by split decision at Wembley Stadium on September 21, 2024, dropping the Scot twice. The Ring has them ranked fifth and seventh at 175 pounds.
Hutchinson has campaigned for the rematch ever since. “I wanted it for two years,” he told The Ring. By The Ring’s account, Buatsi had no interest in running it back until a belt was attached. The upgrade raises the stakes for both, and the winner walks away with a first full world title.
Both come in off wins. Hutchinson beat Ezra Taylor in March, and Buatsi beat Zach Parker in November after losing to Callum Smith in February 2025.
Elsewhere at 175, Ben Whittaker earned Bivol’s IBF mandatory spot last weekend, and Bivol is reportedly set to face Callum Smith in December.
