David Benavidez rejects Jai Opetaia Zuffa fight

Claiming he won’t fight on Zuffa terms gives him a business-related out. It sounds more professional than saying he doesn’t want to get in the ring with a southpaw who has the speed and power of Opetaia, but fans aren’t buying it, especially since they were linked for a fight long before the Zuffa deal.

Calling out Dmitry Bivol right now is a safe play because that fight is essentially impossible to make in the short term. Bivol is busy with Michael Eifert on May 30 and then likely tied up in a massive trilogy with Artur Beterbiev later this year.

By targeting Bivol, Benavidez is effectively booking himself a busy schedule that doesn’t involve a fight until 2027. It allows him to stay in the conversation as an elite pound-for-pound seeker without actually having to face the cruiserweight gold standard in Opetaia.

Opetaia responded shortly after on social media: “Enjoy your victory champ… See you soon!!!”

The sentiment on social media has chang.d For a long time, Benavidez was the boogeyman everyone was ducking, especially Canelo Alvarez.

Now, the roles have reversed at 200 lbs. Fan sentiment today across X is that Benavidez is running to 175 to find a guy wth a full dance card just so he doesn’t have to deal with Jai.

If Benavidez really wanted to prove he is the king of the cruiserweights, the Opetaia fight is the only one that truly settles the debate, belts or no belts. Choosing a path that leads to a two-year wait for Bivol instead of a cross-promotion blockbuster with Opetaia makes the fear narrative hard to ignore.