David Benavidez is mapping out a multi-division campaign that his team hopes will culminate in a heavyweight appearance against Andy Ruiz Jr. José Benavidez Sr. laid out a scenario where David campaigns at cruiserweight against Michal Cieslak and Jai Opetaia, drops to light heavyweight for Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev, and then jumps into the heavyweight division.
“After that, we would love to make a fight with Andy Ruiz. We’re just dreaming here, daydreaming, but those are the fights that I think are very possible to make. Imagine David Benavidez and Andy Ruiz. Andy is a great fighter. My heart is with him, and he’s like family to me, but I believe he would love the same, an opportunity to fight the Mexican Monster. For us, it would be a great opportunity,” said Jose Sr. to ProBox TV.
Jumping between three weight classes demands an enormous physical toll. David would have to pack on bulk to trade punches with cruiserweights, strip off 25 pounds to make the 175-pound limit, and then rebuild his body for heavyweight. Modern fighters rarely ping-pong across weight classes because stripping away functional muscle ruins stamina, drains punch resistance, and deadens a fighter’s legs.
Targeting Ruiz reveals a desire for name recognition over actual heavyweight danger. Ruiz carries brand value, quick combinations, and strong appeal in the southwestern market. He also stands barely six feet tall and lacks the reach of legitimate heavyweights.
Ruiz returned from a two-year layoff and suffered a defeat against Damian Knyba. By the time David finishes this proposed multi-belt tour, Ruiz will be pushing 40 with extensive periods of ring rust. Facing that diminished version provides David a heavyweight victory without the terror of sharing a ring with a massive, six-foot-six puncher.
Reaching that point assumes David survives the cruiserweight division, which looks like pure fantasy. Opetaia is not a stepping stone. The Australian operates with elite lateral movement, explosive power, and precise timing. David had uncomfortable moments handling the physical pressure and punches of Oleksandr Gvozdyk at light heavyweight. Opetaia possesses far more destructive force at 200 pounds and has the tools to dismantle David before any heavyweight plans materialize.
The promotional hurdles make the blueprint even more detached from reality. Coordinating multiple sanctioning bodies, rival promoters, and separate network platforms across three weight classes takes years. David risks burning through his athletic peak waiting for theoretical fights that may never happen.
José Sr. openly called the idea daydreaming, yet floating Ruiz exposes the underlying strategy. Team Benavidez wants heavyweight credit without taking heavyweight risks, targeting an aging, undersized former champion instead of the division’s genuine giants.
Counting on Ruiz to rebuild credibility by stringing together wins over the next couple of years ignores everything he has shown inside and outside the ring. Against Jarrell Miller, Ruiz could barely muster the work rate to stay competitive, struggling through long stretches where his punch output disappeared. Following that up with a lackluster performance and a loss to Damian Knyba confirmed that the hunger, conditioning, and explosiveness that defined his upset win in 2019 are long gone. Put him in with any durable, busy heavyweight right now, and he drops another decision simply by being outworked.
The financial reality makes the idea of a comeback even more absurd. Ruiz made life-changing money from the Anthony Joshua bouts and has zero financial urgency to run through grueling training camps or take punishment. When a heavyweight has millions in the bank and only fights once every year or two, the fire never comes back. Expecting him to suddenly become active, stay disciplined, and beat legitimate contenders while David Benavidez runs a marathon through cruiserweight and light heavyweight is wishful thinking.
If this matchup ever happens, Team Benavidez will not be getting a resurgent former champion coming off a hot streak. They will be buying the shell of a recognizable name who is happy to cash one final paycheck before walking away for good. That makes the commercial payoff far smaller than José Sr. envisions, because boxing fans can easily see through a cash grab against a washed-up opponent.
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