Benavidez (18-0, 17 KOs), 20, comes from knocking out Rogelio Medina in 8 rounds to get this title shot. While Dirrell (30-1-1, 24 KOs), 32, arrives after knocking out Hungarian fighter Norbert Nemesapati in January.
Originally Dirrell was to fight British Callum Smith for the super middleweight belt which was vacated by Sweden’s Badou Jack to climb up a division.
However, Smith chose to enter to the “WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES” where he will face Sweden’s Erik Skoglund on September 16 for the Diamond version.