David Benavidez Rides The Heavyweight Dream

It’s been five months since David Benavidez (32-0, 26 KOs) secured the WBA (Super) and WBO cruiserweight titles by beating Gilberto Ramírez at the T-Mobile Arena in Nevada. But what lies ahead? It looks like he’s got it all planned out, down to the last detail.

Speaking with Inside the Ring, Benavidez discussed the ideal career arc he is eyeing.

“We got two great fights at cruiserweight before we get up there first. We got Jai Opetaia, then I think Beterbiev is going to come up to cruiserweight,” he said. “If we can get a fight in with Usyk and Tyson Fury, then that’s something I’m willing to do.”

Opetaia is by far the most concrete option. He and Benavidez have already verbally agreed to fight, and the plan being discussed is a major Cinco de Mayo 2027 showdown. The biggest obstacle is that Opetaia is reportedly considering a heavyweight fight with Deontay Wilder on the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua card in December.

Usyk, however, is very much a contingency plan, not a done deal. There’s a pretty clear expression of intent, but Usyk is himself approaching the end of his career and has other possible plans, so there is currently no agreement between the two camps. The situation is similar with Artur Beterbiev. Benavidez has wanted Beterbiev for a long time and has repeatedly said he believes he will eventually accept the fight. However, Beterbiev has publicly said that he would rather settle his trilogy with Dmitry Bivol before facing Benavidez.

While his potential opponents have shown interest, he isn’t exactly holding his breath. Having been bitten by the heavyweight division, he has no qualms about jumping divisions if the situation calls for it.

“Beterbiev has definitely reached out to our team, and he’s been actively trying to make that fight,” he said. “If we can’t get that fight for Cinco de Mayo with Jai Opetaia, then we’ll do it with Usyk.”

“No…”

But what if Beterbiev has no plans of going up to cruiserweight? Will Benavidez maybe make an exception and drop a few pounds? When he was asked this question during the Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn fight, he had only one thing to say.

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“No, I feel great at this weight class; I don’t have to lose weight. I have never felt as good as I did for my last fight [against Ramirez]. So, I want to be the reigning champion for a long, long time,” he said.

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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