WBO Orders Hernandez vs Zerafa for Vacant Middleweight Title
The biggest news this week landed early: the WBO stripped freshly elevated middleweight champion Denzel Bentley for ducking mandatory challenger Yoenli Hernandez, then ordered Hernandez to face no. 4 Michael Zerafa for the vacant belt. They have 20 days to avoid a purse bid.
Hernandez (11-0, 9 KO) is the kind of rising knockout artist the middleweight division desperately needs. He comes off a majority decision over Francisco Daniel Veron in August, his second trip to the judges in four fights, but his power is legit. Zerafa (35-5, 23 KO) gets another title shot at 34, though his stock is arguably lower than it was two years ago after the Nikita Tszyu fight ended in controversy — a second-round headbutt, claimed vision loss despite zero swelling, and a quick stoppage that left Australian fans suspicious.
The real loser here is the division itself. Bentley never won the belt in the ring; he was elevated after Janibek Alimkhanuly moved up to super middleweight, then signed with Zuffa and refused to face Hernandez. The WBO finally grew tired of the delay and took the title back. It is rare to see a sanctioning body actually enforce a mandatory, which makes this order feel almost revolutionary.
Usyk Confirms Cruiserweight Return Against Benavidez
Oleksandr Usyk made an appearance during the Canelo vs Mbilli DAZN broadcast and confirmed what fans have been speculating about for months: he is returning to cruiserweight to fight David Benavidez. Usyk said he cleaned out the heavyweight division, is weighing around 96 kg, and wants the Benavidez fight because “it is big fight because Benavidez is a big champion.”
That last part is the most interesting piece. Usyk does not frame this as a cash grab or a farewell tour. He frames it as a challenge against a legitimate champion at the weight where he built his legacy. Benavidez, for his part, has been openly critical of Canelo’s performance and wants the biggest fights available. A Usyk-Benavidez clash at cruiserweight would unify the legacy of the division’s most decorated modern champion with its hardest-punching current titleholder.
Canelo Regains WBC Title, but Benavidez Wasn’t Impressed
On Halloween night in Riyadh, Canelo Alvarez stopped Christian Mbilli in Saudi Arabia, winning a clear unanimous decision to regain the WBC super middleweight title. The scorecards read 115-112, 116-111, and 117-110 — all for Canelo, who is now 64-3-3 with 39 knockouts.
Mbilli had early moments and made Canelo work, but the middle and late rounds belonged to the veteran. Canelo’s defense was tight, his counter shots accurate, and his pace professional. He looked like a fighter who had absorbed the loss to Terence Crawford and used it as a reset rather than a decline.
David Benavidez watched and critiqued immediately afterward. Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Benavidez said Canelo earned his $40-50 million purse but should have pushed for a knockout. “We expect him to go in there and knock this guy out,” Benavidez said. “You have more skills, put them skills to the test, especially if you’re getting money like that.” It was a fair assessment from a fighter who has made pressure and volume his calling card.
This Weekend: Buatsi-Hutchinson 2, Baumgardner-Turhan, and More
Three title fights and a exhibition headlined by two retired warriors make for a stacked November 7-8 card.
Saturday, Zuffa Boxing 12 (Paramount+, Hackney Wick, England) — Chris Billam-Smith defends against Cheavon Clarke in the main event. Denzel Bentley, fresh off his WBO stripping, meets Shane Mosley Jr. Zach Parker fights Umar Dzambekov in a supporting bout.
Saturday, Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson 2 (DAZN, Manchester, England) — The vacant WBC light heavyweight title is on the line. Buatsi won their first meeting by split decision in September 2024, but that interim WBO belt he won that night is long gone. Both men have handled all opposition since, and the rematch promises to be even more urgent.
Saturday, Danny Garcia vs Ruslan Provodnikov (TrillerTV PPV, Coral Gables, Florida) — This is technically an exhibition, which does not matter to the fans paying $29.99. Garcia’s retirement lasted exactly one year and 20 days. Provodnikov has not fought as a pro in over a decade. Still, anyone who watched Matthysse-Provodnikov in 2015 knows the man capable of turning violence into art. On the undercard, Yokasta Valle defends her WBC minimumweight title against Maria Luz Peral.
Sunday, MVPW-07 (ESPN, Arlington, Texas) — Alycia Baumgardner moves up to lightweight to challenge IBF champion Elif Nur Turhan. Baumgardner still holds multiple super featherweight titles and is chasing undisputed status. “I know that I’m fighting the winner of Han and Dubois for undisputed,” she told Ring Magazine. “That’s how I wanted it, that’s what it’s going to be.” On the undercard, Ramla Ali meets Mikiah Kreps for the vacant WBO and IBF super bantamweight belts, and Skye Nicholson defends her WBC super bantamweight title against Miyo Yoshida.
Filipino Corner
No Filipino fighters are booked on the major November 7-8 cards. That quiet spell is worth noting. After a busy stretch that saw Mark Magsayo in action and several prospects on regional cards, the Philippines’ boxing pipeline is taking a breath. The next wave — the Enanos, the Paraderos, the younger Casimero-era successors — will likely surface on December cards or early 2026 showings. When they do, expect them to fight with the same grit that made the Philippines the fight capital of Southeast Asia.
Bottom Line
The Hernandez-Zerafa order resets the middleweight division in a way we have not seen in years: a mandatory actually enforced. Usyk vs Benavidez at cruiserweight would be the most compelling fight in that division since Usyk cleaned it out. Canelo’s win over Mbilli proved he is still elite, even if he is no longer the dynamo who knocked out Amir Khan. Baumgardner vs Turhan on Sunday is the women’s fight of the weekend, with genuine undisputed stakes on the line.