“We kind of set everything up,” Benavidez told Ariel Helwani. “Once we get past Zurdo Ramirez, we could make that fight happen in the future.”
“I don’t think that fight is completely off. But I think it’s just been set back about a year or two.”
The “duck” narrative is catching fire on social media because of how quickly the mood shifted from “let’s unite” to “maybe in a few years” from Benavidez.
The sentiment on social media is pretty merciless right now. People don’t buy the “promotional hurdles” excuse because they’ve seen Turki Alalshikh and Dana White make great things happen when the will is there.
It’s a tough look for someone who calls himself the “Mexican Monster.” When you go from the guy everyone avoids to the guy suddenly talking about “one or two year” timelines, the fans are going to jump on it.
People are analyzing David’s body language in recent interviews and claiming he seems much more comfortable talking about Zurdo Ramirez than the “monster” from Australia.
Some fans feel that after years of calling out Benavidez Canelo and Bivol, he can’t suddenly claim to “get used to the weight” when a dangerous, undefeated champion like Opetaia is now ready to go.
The fear for Benavidez’s stock is real. Jai Opetaia is a natural 200-pounder with elite southpaw movement and legitimate one-punch power.
Opetaia has a high KO percentage (about 77%) and has shown he can break jaws and end nights early. If Benavidez takes that fight and gets fired up, the “Mexican Monster” aura is gone.
Fans say that by pushing it back a year or two, he hopes Opetaia can age or lose a step, which is a bad look for someone who prides himself on being the ultimate boogeyman.
This is a tough spot for Benavidez. If he beats Zurdo on May 2 but continues to make excuses about Opetaia, that “duck” label is going to stick, and boxing fans can be unforgiving when they feel a legacy is being protected.
Benavidez first has business to deal with against Ramirez in a big Cinco de Mayo weekend title fight. If he wins, calls for the Opetaia fight will likely only grow louder, even if Benavidez now believes it may take time to make.
