Jai Opetaia and David Benavidez have verbally agreed to a fight in 2027, following Opetaia’s TKO win over Noel Mikaelian on tonight’s Garcia vs Benn undercard.
Opetaia called out Benavidez, who was in the crowd, following the fight. After security eventually let Benavidez through, the two fighters showed nothing but respect for one another. This was not a typical boxing “callout” and in-ring challenge where you see shoving and shouting, this was two top fighters telling the world they want to see who’s
the best.
“I respect him. He’s done a lot for the sport, it’s been awesome,” Opetaia said. “I want to fight him, respectfully. Let’s get it on.”
“Let’s do it next year. Cinco De Mayo, next year. Respect,” Benavidez replied. “This is a great fighter right here, a strong fighter, but there can only be one monster in this weight division, and that’s me.”
“I respect this man so much,” Benavidez continued. “He’s a bogeyman in the division, but I’m the person they call when it’s time to kill the bogeyman. This man is a great fighter, and we’re gonna give the fans a great fight. … I like this man. He looks like he likes war. I’m the exact same way.”
“We live for these moments,” Opetaia said when asked why he wants to fight a man who’s been perceived as avoided by the likes of Canelo Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol.
Benavidez (32-0, 26 KO) currently holds the WBA cruiserweight title. Opetaia (31-0, 24 KO) won a secondary version of that belt with his win over Mikaelian tonight, and also holds the Zuffa cruiserweight title and is considered the division’s lineal champion by TBRB, Ring Magazine, BoxRec.
If we get the fight in May 2027, who do you think wins Benavidez vs Opetaia?
