DAVID BENAVIDEZ has been crowned the WBC light-heavyweight champion – without even throwing a punch.
It comes after WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman lashed out at for vacating the 175lb belt.
Sulaiman posted: “I have just received a cold and impersonal notification from Dmitry Bivol lawyer, Patrick English, with arguments that are so ridiculous that I rather not discuss informing the WBC that Dmitry Bivol has decided to relinquish his WBC light heavyweight championship.
“We wish Bivol success and hereby confirm David Benavidez as WBC world light heavyweight champion.”
Bivol won the WBC belt – along with the undisputed WBA, IBF and WBO belts – in February following
And with the two Russian rivals tied at one apiece, the trilogy decider looked destined to settle the score.
But the WBC mandated Bivol to defend his title against unbeaten American Benavidez – or else lose the strap.
So 28-year-old Benavidez was elevated from interim champ to the full world title – without having to fight for it.
He posted on Instagram: “Just got the news that Bivol decided to vacate his title, instead of fighting me.
“Now that makes me the WBC world champion at light heavyweight.
“This is not the ideal way for me to become world champion but nevertheless I am now the WBC light heavyweight champion of the world, and I intend on putting the best fights.”
Benavidez – – twice held the WBC super-middleweight world title.
And he moved up to light-heavyweight and beat David Morrell in February to also claim the WBA “interim” title.
Powerful Saudi Arabian powerbroker Turki Alalshikh fronted the money for Bivol, 34, and Beterbiev, 40, to fight in two instant classics.
But he publicly opted out of bidding for the right to stage a fight between Bivol and Benavidez.
He told Ring Magazine, which he now owns: “I am no longer interested in Bivol-Benavidez and I will not bid on it.
“I think Bivol knows who has delivered for him and who hasn’t. My advice to Bivol: don’t be late because every day something changes.”;
