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David Benavidez is the truth, and he’s earned the marquee fights
David Benavidez has long had the ability of a top-tier fighter.
It was there when he was 20 years old and won his first world title, beating Ronald Gavril for the vacant WBC super middleweight title in 2017. It was still there when he was stripped of that belt for testing positive for cocaine. And it was still there when he won it back, and when he missed weight and was stripped again in 2020. ipl-today.in
And it was there when he came back from that and won the interim version of that title and tried, desperately, to get Canelo Alvarez to fight him. When he starched David Lemieux. When he beat Caleb Plant in what was the biggest fight Benavidez could land in 2023. When he took Demetrius Andrade apart, and when he gave up on the Canelo chase at 168 and moved up to 175, winning another interim belt and hoping to get Dmitry Bivol in the ring for the real thing, but Bivol vacated instead.
It was certainly there tonight, when he decimated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez to win the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles, jumping up another 25 lbs in weight to take the biggest and best challenge he could actually find.
Canelo, repeatedly, said that Benavidez wasn’t a big enough star. A lot of people think Canelo simply didn’t want to fight someone young, vicious, and skilled like Benavidez. Bivol wasn’t fighting anyone — and to be fair was coming off of a surgery — and maybe we’ll see Bivol vs Benavidez this year, now that Dmitry is close to back in action.
Canelo, coming off of a loss to Terence “Bud” Crawford last year, will be back in September to challenge Christian Mbilli for the WBC belt at 168. If he wins there, Benavidez should be on his mind for 2027.
But will it happen? Benavidez still wants it. He wants Bivol, too. And he’s earned those fights. He has done everything asked of him, he has repeatedly taken the best fights he could get, and he has dominated in pretty much all of them. He beat David Morrell last year, and that was another guy not many people were lining up to fight. Morrell was kind of high-risk, low-reward, even; he’s not a big name. Benavidez fought him anyway. It was the toughest guy he could get to fight him.
Boxing is not like other sports, those more in the mainstream. Nobody can actually make anyone fight anyone. There can be consequences — titles stripped for saying no to a mandatory challenger, that sort of thing — but the reality is that star power drives a lot of the decision-making.
Maybe Canelo had an argument that Benavidez wasn’t a big star. It’d be a better argument if Canelo hadn’t spent that time fighting guys like Edgar Berlanga and William Scull instead of Benavidez, but let’s be kind and say Canelo had a point.
Does he have one anymore? Christian Mbilli isn’t as big a star as David Benavidez. Realistically, not that many people are. Benavidez may not be a mega-seller on pay-per-view, but this also isn’t the Mayweather/Pacquiao era of pay-per-view. That game has changed.
Compared to the field, David Benavidez stands out in every way. He’s headlined big arena shows and several pay-per-view shows now. Who else can Canelo or Bivol fight who can say the same?
David Benavidez is, as others said in our live discussion of Saturday’s fight, a born fighter. It’s in his bones. You can see it in his eyes. You hear the legitimacy in his voice. He means what he says and he backs it up. You see it in the way he moves, the way he throws punches. You feel his sincere desire to be great and to take challenges.
It’s time for David Benavidez to get the marquee fights he wants. He deserves it. He’s earned it. And if those guys won’t take it, expect Benavidez to keep finding the best opponents he can get to step into the ring with him. He’s got options with belts at 175 and cruiserweight. He’s got some leverage. In the time he’s been “avoided” by the biggest names he wants to fight, he’s simply gone out and made himself a bigger, more bankable star, and proven himself as a great champion of this sport.
He has been the sort of fighter that fight fans want fighters to be. He deserves the acclaim, the praise, and the big fights.
World's strongest woman 'didn't like sport'
The world's strongest woman has explained how she discovered weightlifting when she decided to shed some pounds before a wedding.
Andrea Thompson, from Melton near Woodbridge in Suffolk, reclaimed the title in 2025 and holds records in Hummer tyre deadlift, elephant bar deadlift and log lift.
On Wednesday, the 43-year-old was on the judging panel at the UK Armed Forces strongest man and woman competition in Colchester.
She said it was "such an inspiration" to see younger women competing, whereas she had "never been great at sport" in her younger years.
She started getting fit for her sister's wedding more than a decade ago.
"I've never really been great at sport, mainly field events like javelin and shot put at school, but never really stuck to anything," she explained.
But she had her "stubbornness" to thank for her eventual success.
"I'm competing against women who are half my age. I've got two teenage girls so my life is very busy outside of the gym," she said.
About 50 personnel from the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and the Army were at Colchester's Merville Barracks for the competition final.
The first contest was held last year, and this was the first time it had been hosted in Essex.
Air specialist Connor Poole, of RAF Honington in Suffolk, was crowned the strongest man, while Maj Lucia Phillips, from the regional occupational health team, triumphed for the women.
Phillips, who is based at Catterick in North Yorkshire, said it was "great" to see so many people giving it a try.
"As women, strength training is so good for us all throughout our lives to keep us functionally moving, functionally mobile, functionally fit," she said.
Col Stu Allen is chairman of the competition, which he says trains the sort of physicality and mentality that troops need on the battlefield.
"I'm hugely proud, that for a new sport, we've trebled our participation over the last year," he said.
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NHL Playoffs: Multiple Players Ejected from Hurricanes Game 1 Shutout Win Over Flyers
Logan Stankoven is currently the living, breathing embodiment of the chaos and suffocation the Carolina Hurricanes have been known for.
His second line was the first on the board against the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night, just as they have for every game this postseason. Potting that first goal just 1:31 into the game was Stankoven – the third fastest playoff goal in franchise history – as he extended his postseason-opening goal-streak to five, becoming the youngest player in NHL history to do so.
The next goal came just 7:30 into the first period from the stick of Jackson Blake, earning his second point of the game after assisting Stankoven’s goal. The helpers came from Taylor Hall and Mike Reilly, who interestingly earned his own second point of the game, also assisting on Stankoven’s goal.
Reilly, who was filling in for Alexander Nikishin after he failed to advance out of the NHL’s concussion protocol, had only had 1:42 of ice time across three shifts when he made that second key play to help the Hurricanes get ahead. It was his first multi-point game since December 23, 2023, when he was with the New York Islanders – ironically playing against the Hurricanes.
The third and final goal of the game, once again, was Stankoven’s – netting the goal on a neat pass from Seth Jarvis, assisted by Andrei Svechnikov. Stankoven had just come off the bench, and fell as he did so, but that little mishap put him in the right place, at the right time to find the back of the net.
When play resumed after the goal, Stankoven wasted no time trying for a hat-trick – firing the puck into Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar shortly after winning the following faceoff. He didn’t get that third goal, but snapperjacks, he sure tried, tying Sean Couturier for a game-leading five shots on goal.
Frederik Andersen Earns Second Shutout of Postseason Campaign
Stankoven certainly wasn’t the only standout in the match, though.
Throughout his full 60-minutes of time on ice, Frederik Andersen turned away every shot he faced for a 19-save shutout. During the empty-net situation, he even responsibly ignored a chance for a potential goalie goal with clear ice ahead. He may have taken a tripping penalty against Porter Martone, but he was incredibly disciplined in the Hurricanes’ 3-0 win.
Saturday Night’s the Night for Fightin’
Mayhem ensued in Lenovo Center, slowly progressing from silly to outright chaotic. In the first period, Nick Seeler hilariously grabbed Jordan Martinook’s stick and appeared to hit himself in the face with it for a Flyers power play…somehow.
Later, the aforementioned Marton trip from Andersen occurred as Jaccob Slavin slid straight into the net.
But then, things grew dangerous.
In the last minute of the second period, Andrei Svechnikov put a hit on the rookie Martone in a board battle for the puck, and Tyson Foerster took a hard whack at the back of Andrei Svechnikov’s right knee – the same knee that required surgery to repair a torn ACL in the 2022-23 season.
Svechnikov remained down as Hurricanes head athletic trainer Doug Bennett rushed onto the ice, and the play was called for a five-minute major for slashing before review reduced it to a two-minute minor. Thankfully, Svechnikov did not go down the tunnel and was able to finish the game.
However, that wasn’t the end of things. There were roughing penalties abound throughout the final frame, and an altercation between Jackson Blake and Trevor Zegras earned them both 10-minute misconducts with 8:14 left. It was the first misconduct of Jackson Blake’s NHL career, and the second of Zegras’ postseason following some shenanigans in their Game 4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round One.
Less than two minutes later, Shayne Gostisbehere and Seeler were both given 10-minute misconducts for their own moment of mayhem following an offside whistle.
By the end of the game, both teams had a matching 34 penalty minutes apiece for a combined 68.
Hurricanes Game Notes
The Carolina Hurricanes are just the fifth team in NHL history to not trail in their first five playoff games. The last to do so was the Washington Capitals in their 1986 postseason campaign, who extended their streak to six matches.
With his sixth goal of the postseason, Logan Stankoven tied Matt Boldy and Brandon Hagel for the leaguewide lead. Both Boldy and Hagel have played one more game than Stankoven.
Out of 14 goals scored by the Hurricanes this postseason, 10 of them have had at least one player of the second line (Stankoven, Blake, Hall) on the scoresheet.
Notching his 24th postseason win with the Hurricanes, Andersen surpassed Cam Ward for most playoff wins in franchise history. Additionally, with his fourth postseason shutout with the Hurricanes, Andersen tied Ward for the most in franchise history. Rock on, Freddie.
Also Read:: Full Hurricanes-Flyers Round Two Schedule and How to Watch
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In a controversial finish! Cruz Azul go ahead of Atlas in Liguilla
Cruz Azul took a crucial lead in the Clausura 2026 quarter-finals by defeating Atlas 3-2 after a controversial and thrilling match at Estadio Jalisco.
La Máquina, who finished the regular season in third place, showed their attacking class in a match that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very last moment.
The star of the night was Nigerian forward Christian Ebere, who bagged a vital brace for Cruz Azul’s hopes.
After a tight first half that ended with the visitors holding a slim lead thanks to a goal from Rodolfo Rotondi, Ebere extended the advantage in the 55th minute. It looked like the Mexico City side would cruise comfortably, but Atlas pushed forward.
The "Zorros" leveled the score thanks to a goal by Arturo González and a penalty from Aldo Rocha. However, the tie did not last long, as VAR intervened to award another penalty, this time in favor of Cruz Azul.
With this result, Atlas is forced to win by a two-goal margin in the second leg.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.
Match review: Royals make history with first Angel City victory, RSL earns first clean sheet of 2026
Real Salt Lake and Utah Royals FC took victories this Saturday, with first-half goals proving the difference in both matches. RSL faced the Portland Timbers on Saturday afternoon, earning an assertive 2-0 home victory, while URFC headed west to BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, where it claimed its first-ever victory against Angel City FC with a 1-0 triumph.
RSL strikes early to earn home win, Utah Royals reign victorious over Angel City
Real Salt Lake returned to the Wasatch Front this Saturday in its match against the Portland Timbers, hungry for a win on home turf after losses against Inter Miami CF last Wednesday at home and at LA Galaxy on Sunday. Just 10 minutes after the first whistle, Spanish rookie Sergi Solans delivered a beautiful through-ball to Utah native Zavier Gozo, advancing down the right flank and hitting a one-touch blast with his right foot that soared past the Portland keeper and landed in the bottom left of the net. The homegrown midfielder celebrated his early lead with a cartwheel into a backflip, shocking fans with his tumbling skills and adding to the electric, sold-out atmosphere of America First Field.
Eighteen minutes later, USA World Cup hopeful Diego Luna capitalized on an opportunity after receiving the ball just outside the 18-yard box, sending a pass to Juan Manuel Sanabria, who took a touch before returning the ball back to Luna for a left-footed shot that doubled the Claret-and-Cobalt’s advantage to 2-0 as it blasted into the bottom right corner of the goal.
In Los Angeles, Utah Royals FC drew first blood in the 32nd minute, when Canadian international Cloé Lacasse received a cross from Captain Paige Cronin on the right as she charged forward into the box. Lacasse made contact with the ball in the air, heading it into the bottom left corner for what ultimately proved to be the game-winning goal. Cronin’s assist was her first of the 2026 season, while Lacasse’s goal marked her second for the club this year.
USA goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn came through with multiple vital saves for the Utah side, preserving the narrow lead all the way into the final minutes, and ending the night with her first clean sheet in her first start of the 2026 season, after coming back from injury.
Quotable:
“Really proud of this group,” said RSL Head coach Pablo Mastroeni. “The balance today lent itself to probably our most complete performance of the year and another performance that we have to continue to build upon.”
“Tonight was huge for us,” said Lacasse. “I think we did so well as a team. There were a lot of moments that we did suffer, but I honestly think the best teams know how to suffer in the hardest moments. I think today was honestly probably one of the first times that — since I’ve been here — we were able to do that and come out with a win.”
A winning Saturday:Game summary
From first to final whistle, RSL remained relentless in its attack, scoring two or more goals for the seventh time in its last nine matches. With 15 shots on goal compared to Portland’s two, the Claret-and-Cobalt fought for possession and opportunity. First-half strikes from Gozo and Luna gave RSL firm control of the match early, establishing an aggressive attacking rhythm that put its opponent on the back foot from opening stages.
Goalkeeper Rafael Cabral maintained a brick wall throughout the 90 minutes, with a one-handed, diving save in the 26th minute followed by another stopper less than 60 seconds later. Cabral earned his first clean sheet of the 2026 season, with his last coming 12 games ago, on Oct. 4, 2025 against Colorado. With Gozo’s early strike and Luna’s 25th goal of his RSL career, the Claret-and-Cobalt protected America First Field — where it has won 13 and drawn two in its last 19 home matches since June 1 — adding a sixth overall win to its record through 10 matches this season.
The Royals opened the away match with an aggressive attacking pace, putting early pressure on goal through multiple shots from Cronin and Janni Thomsen. Their persistence paid off in the 33rd minute when Cronin drove down the right side and delivered a cross to Lacasse, who headed it just past the post to give Utah a 1—0 lead — marking Lacasse’s second straight game with a goal and Cronin’s first assist of the 2026 season.
Strong defensive play and key saves from McGlynn, including a crucial stop in the 36th minute and another in the 76th, helped preserve the advantage as the Royals closed out a 1-0 win despite Angel City playing a man down in the second half. The result extended Utah’s strong run to four straight wins and five games unbeaten.
Up next
After two consecutive doubleheader weekends, Utah Soccer looks forward to another game-filled week, with URFC hosting the Houston Dash this Wednesday in Sandy. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. MDT, with tickets available for purchase at rsl.com. The Claret-and-Cobalt face FC Dallas in North Texas on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. MDT, with streaming available on AppleTV.
