David Benavidez has revealed his three-fight plan, culminating in a potential undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
First, Benavidez must dethrone WBC champion Michal Cieslak, who he will face on December 5 while also defending his WBO and WBA world cruiserweight titles.
Usyk, meanwhile, is targeting a move back down to 200lbs after scoring a harder-than-expected 11th-round stoppage of former kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in May.
For that, he weighed a career-heaviest of 233lbs but, having since vacated his three heavyweight belts, the Ukrainian is now looking to reclaim his undisputed cruiserweight crown.
In order to do so, he must somehow secure the division’s IBF title, which previously belonged to Jai Opetaia who, despite having been stripped, has taken legal action to be reinstated as the sanctioning body’s champion.
If the belt remains vacant, however, then Usyk may pursue a clash with the IBF’s leading contender, David Nyika, and, if everything goes to plan, an undisputed encounter with Benavidez could become realistic in 2027.
Before that, though, Benavidez has told SWAY’S UNIVERSE that he intends to deliver on his promise and face Opetaia on Cinco de Mayo weekend.
“I’m a man of my word: I’m gonna respect the May 5 [agreement] with Jai Opetaia and then, after that, I think it’s a really big opportunity [to fight] Usyk.
“When they first mentioned Usyk to me, I was like, ‘I’m down to go to heavyweight. I don’t care.’ But then he doesn’t have any belts at heavyweight, so they [his team] said that he’s willing to come down to cruiserweight.
“That would be a massive fight.”
The 29-year-old verbally agreed to face Opetaia this past September, shortly after the Australian scored a ninth-round stoppage of Noel Mikaelian.
Opetaia is set for a fight of his own in the meantime, as he will compete at heavyweight against former WBC champion Deontay Wilder on the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua card on December 11.
