Turki Alalshikh is already looking beyond the present and aiming for a heavyweight fight between Oleksandr Usyk and David Benavidez in 2027, a plan that raises as many questions as it answers.
Mike Coppinger reported that Turki Usyk and Benavidez want to match for the heavyweight championship, according to Ring Magazine, just days after Benavidez moved up to cruiserweight and stopped Gilberto Ramirez to win two titles.
The timing is aggressive. Benavidez just got up to 200 pounds, and the idea of ​​him moving back up to heavyweight against a technically complete champion like Usyk shifts the focus from momentum to projection.
His debut at cruiserweight did answer one question. Benavidez became the first fighter to stop Ramirez, showing his power against a durable opponent who had never been stopped before.
.@Turki_alalshikh wants Oleksandr Usyk vs. David Benavidez makes for the heavyweight championship in 2027, @ringtydskrif learned Benavidez moved up to cruiserweight on Saturday and won two titles with a KO victory over Zurdo Ramirez. Usyk returns to defend his ring on May 23… pic.twitter.com/vd9NLHeU1X
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) May 4, 2026
What comes next at cruiserweight is less clear. A fight with Jai Opetaia was already in doubt after sanctioning issues removed a direct path to a unification, leaving less obvious targets at the weight.
Usyk, meanwhile, will return on May 23 when he faces Rico Verhoeven in a fight that has already garnered attention given Verhoeven’s limited boxing experience. The sanctioning bodies have not all aligned publicly on how that fight affects Usyk’s title status.
Turki’s involvement keeps these kinds of matches in play, even when they sit outside the usual progression. The idea is ambitious, but it depends on Benavidez proving he belongs at each step before the next one is even considered.
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Last updated on 2026/05/04 at 11:28
