David Benavidez may have managed one of the toughest fights available.
A report of goat scene stated that Benavidez turned down a proposed cruiserweight fight against Jai Opetaia and instead focused on securing a long-discussed fight with Canelo Alvarez. The development emerged as Opetaia moved to finalize a showdown with WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian later this year.
An official briefed on the negotiations told BoxingScene that Saudi boxing financier Turki Alalshikh pushed for a Benavidez-Opetaia fight before talks shifted in another direction.
The report states that Benavidez, who recently captured unified cruiserweight titles with his stoppage win over Gilberto Ramirez, was set on pursuing a fight against Alvarez. That decision apparently removed him from consideration for the Opetaia match and opened the door for Mikaelian to enter into negotiations.
The timing is notable because Opetaia has long been considered one of the most shunned fighters in the cruiserweight division. The unbeaten Australian entered the year as IBF champion before vacating the title to make his Zuffa Boxing debut against Brandon Glanton.
BoxingScene also reported that Premier Boxing Champions were working on a separate plan involving Mikaelian, with discussions centered on a three-fight deal that would have started with a Benavidez unification bout. Instead, it looks like Mikaelian is headed for a fight with Opetaia on a future Alalshikh-backed Ring Magazine card.
For Benavidez, the report leaves the focus on Alvarez. Canelo is already scheduled to face Christian Mbilli on September 12, and there is still no deal in place for a long-awaited fight with Benavidez.
If the BoxingScene report is accurate, Benavidez chose to continue chasing Alvarez rather than face Opetaia. Whether that gamble delivers the fight he wants remains to be seen.
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Last updated on 2026/05/29 at 16:03
