David Benavidez put in one of the performances of the year when he dethroned unified cruiserweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez in May, and now ‘The Mexican Monster’ is set to face another world champion, with a November fight date being targeted. Avoiding those complications, Benavidez is instead targeting an alternate world title, with a November showdown against WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian now nearing a deal, as per BoxingScene. The report states that the 29-year-old’s promoter says the fight is a done deal on their end, and they now await Mikaelian’s signature. Mikaelian is a two-time WBC champion, first winning the belt with a third round stoppage win over Ilunga Makabu in November 2023. He controversially lost his title to Badou Jack in May 2025, before regaining it in their rematch seven months later.