David Benavidez has reached a point where some observers no longer see Dmitri Bivol as his most interesting opponent.
Benavidez’s recent success at cruiserweight has changed the discussion about who he should face next. After stopping Gilberto Ramirez to capture the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles, the undefeated champion has been linked to fights against Bivol, Artur Beterbiev, Jai Opetaia and even heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.
Bivol recently returned from a 15-month layoff and back surgery with a dominant unanimous decision over Michael Eifert. While discussing what could come next for both fighters, Max Kellerman argued that Benavidez may have already moved past the light heavyweight division.
“I have to be honest about Benavidez right now. I think he’s too big for those guys (Bivol and Beterbiev). I think Benavidez should look at Jai Opetaia,” Kellerman said on InsideRingShow.
Kellerman later expanded on that view, suggesting that Benavidez became a natural cruiserweight after his weight gain.
“Benavidez is a 200-pounder,” Kellerman said.
The panel debated whether Bivol’s elite boxing ability could still offset Benavidez’s physical advantages. Mike Coppinger pointed to Bivol’s range and defensive skills, while Kellerman maintained that Benavidez’s size, youth and hitting output would present a different type of challenge.
Benavidez’s stock has climbed rapidly since his win over Ramirez. Questions surrounded how his power and pressure would transfer to cruiserweight, but many of those doubts disappeared after he stopped the former unified champion in six rounds.
For Kellerman, the more compelling discussion may no longer involve Bivol at all.
Rather than focus on a return to 175 pounds, he suggested that Benavidez should start targeting the biggest names at cruiserweight, with Opetaia standing out as the fight that makes the most sense.
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Last updated on 2026/06/03 at 20:19
