“Hey, you talk about fighting the best, this and that. Don’t talk about it. I’m right here. The winner from Zurdo vs. Benavidez, let’s go,” Jai Opetaia told The Ring.
Opetaia’s comments come just days before Benavidez challenges Ramirez for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles on May 2. The fight gives Benavidez a chance to secure his first belts at 200 pounds after moving up from light heavyweight.
Positioning himself for a unification opportunity, the Australian used the moment to make his case, calling out both fighters rather than focusing on a single opponent.
The IBF’s decision to strip Opetaia after his move to Zuffa Boxing has already influenced how the fight is viewed. Jose Benavidez Sr. pointed to the lack of a title and limited profile as reasons why the match doesn’t make sense right now.
Opetaia previously held the IBF cruiserweight title and remains one of the division’s most shunned fighters, with several proposed fights failing to materialize over the past year.
His latest statement puts immediate pressure on the outcome of Saturday’s fight, with a clear next step already being pressed publicly.
A match between Opetaia and the Ramirez-Benavidez winner would move the division closer to a full unification, depending on how the remaining titles are handled.
For now, the focus remains on Saturday’s fight, but Opetaia has made his position clear – he expects to be next.
