David Benavidez names Jai Opetaia, Artur Beterbiev and Oleksandr Usyk as targets

The unbeaten WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion wants Usyk to drop back to 200lbs, but must first face WBC champion Michal Cieslak in a December unification bout.

David Benavidez has put Oleksandr Usyk at the end of a three-fight hitlist for 2027 and believes a meeting with the Ukrainian would be bigger at cruiserweight than at heavyweight.

The move would take Usyk away from a heavyweight scene still built around British rivals. He vacated his remaining heavyweight world titles after stopping former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven in the 11th round in May. Tyson Fury has said he wants to knock out Anthony Joshua in their meeting in December and then try to beat Usyk, so a trilogy remains possible. Plans for a fight with Deontay Wilder have stalled.

Benavidez, 29, holds the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles and has won all 32 of his fights, 26 by knockout. He must first beat WBC champion Michal Cieslak in a December unification bout. Speaking on The Last Stand podcast with Brian Custer, he said he did not know whether a Usyk fight would be at heavyweight or cruiserweight, but argued cruiserweight would make it bigger because three belts would be on the line once he takes the WBC title.

Jai Opetaia is the likely first of the three, with Benavidez targeting Cinco de Mayo weekend for that fight, before Artur Beterbiev. Benavidez said: “We’re talking about Opetaia. We’re talking about Beterbiev. And then we’re maybe talking about Usyk.” Usyk last fought at 200lbs in 2018, knocking out Britain's Tony Bellew after becoming undisputed cruiserweight champion with a points win over Murat Gassiev. At heavyweight he beat Derek Chisora, took Joshua's titles in only his third fight at the weight and won their 2022 rematch.

He beat Fury in 2024 to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in 25 years, then beat him again, and has also beaten Daniel Dubois twice.

Every UK fight result and what's next, every Friday. Get the free UK fight briefing

Add Combat Sports UK as a preferred source on Google