David Benavidez may have passed on one of the toughest fights available to him.
A report from BoxingScene states that Benavidez turned down a proposed cruiserweight bout against Jai Opetaia and instead remained focused on securing a long-discussed fight with Canelo Alvarez. The development emerged as Opetaia moved toward finalizing 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 had been pushing 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 victory over Gilberto Ramirez, was intent on pursuing a fight against Alvarez. That decision reportedly removed him from consideration for the Opetaia bout and opened the door for Mikaelian to enter negotiations.
The timing is notable because Opetaia has long been viewed as one of the most avoided fighters in the cruiserweight division. The unbeaten Australian entered the year as IBF champion before leaving the title behind to make his Zuffa Boxing debut against Brandon Glanton.
BoxingScene also reported that Premier Boxing Champions was working on a separate plan involving Mikaelian, with discussions centered on a three-fight agreement that would have started with a Benavidez unification fight. Instead, Mikaelian appears headed toward a bout with Opetaia on a future Ring Magazine card backed by Alalshikh.
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 agreement in place for a long-awaited fight with Benavidez.
If the BoxingScene report is accurate, Benavidez chose to continue pursuing Alvarez rather than face Opetaia. Whether that gamble produces the fight he wants remains to be seen.
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Last Updated on 2026/05/29 at 4:03 PM
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