David Benavidez Maps Out Path to Opetaia, Beterbiev and Usyk
Benavidez names three massive targets after his December 5 fight with Cieslak.
David Benavidez is thinking three fights ahead, and every name on his list is a monster.
The unbeaten cruiserweight contender told Boxing News 24 he has three targets lined up once he gets past Michal Cieslak on December 5. First in line is IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, whom Benavidez says he already promised a Cinco de Mayo weekend fight in 2027. "The fight that I got to honor first is the fight with Opetaia because I told him I'd fight him Cinco de Mayo next year," Benavidez said.
After Opetaia, the plan gets even bigger. Benavidez wants unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev, but at cruiserweight rather than 175 pounds. "I think it's a better fight for both of us at cruiserweight," he said, sidestepping the brutal weight cut that has defined his career.
The final name is Oleksandr Usyk. Benavidez said he would take that fight at cruiserweight or heavyweight and would accept immediately if the call came. As for Dmitry Bivol, Benavidez acknowledged the fight could happen eventually but ruled it out for now. "In the next three fights, probably not," he said.
None of these bouts are signed. Benavidez is operating under PBC but has expressed willingness to work across promotional lines to make them happen. The immediate business is Cieslak on December 5, a capable but beatable opponent who should give Benavidez a platform to look sharp heading into what could be a career-defining 2027.
Benavidez naming Opetaia, Beterbiev and Usyk in the same breath is the kind of ambition I want to see from a fighter who spent years chasing Canelo and getting nowhere. Opetaia is a legitimate test at cruiserweight, not the walkover some people assume. That guy is slick, heavy-handed, and he just unified titles. If Benavidez handles him, the Beterbiev fight at cruiserweight makes all the sense in the world. Both guys have power for days and neither one knows how to take a step backward.
The Usyk fight is a reach, obviously. Usyk is probably the best pound-for-pound boxer alive and he has no reason to come down from heavyweight money. But I respect Benavidez for putting it out there. The guy who used to beg Canelo for a shot is now building his own roadmap, and every fight on it is one fans would pay to see. Get past Cieslak, beat Opetaia clean, and the boxing world will come to you.
