Oleksandr Usyk vs David Benavidez might be a reality for 2027, and it would see Usyk moving back down to cruiserweight, not Benavidez going up to heavyweight.
Mike Coppinger reports that Usyk’s adviser, Serhii Lapin, told The Ring of the plan.
Usyk vs Benavidez has been floated as an idea before, but it would have seen Benavidez, 29, moving up to heavyweight, where Usyk has campaigned since 2019.
But the former undisputed cruiserweight king would rather face Benavidez (32-0, 26 KO) at cruiserweight,
because he’d like to go undisputed at that weight a second time, matching what he’s done as a heavyweight.
Benavidez currently holds the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles, and fights WBC titleholder Michal Cieslak in a three-belt unification on December 5 in Arizona. That leaves just the IBF title, which is currently vacant.
Benavidez has also agreed verbally to fight Jai Opetaia next May, although with Zuffa Boxing’s recent reported struggles, those plans could be anywhere at this point. Still, that’s also been ordered by the WBC, for the winner of Benavidez vs Cieslak to fight Opetaia.
Usyk (25-0, 16 KO) vacated all of the heavyweight titles this year, and his only fight for 2026 is going to wind up being a sort of curious novelty bout where he stopped kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven in the 11th round, after 10 rounds of struggle that left several questions.
It’s entirely possible this would wait until the late summer or early fall of 2027. Usyk’s birthday is in January, so he’ll be 40 if and when this fight does take place, whether it’s that late into next year or earlier.
Benavidez’s father has called Usyk the “biggest challenge” left for his son, and Benavidez himself has discussed his willingness to do the fight, and that was when the working idea was heavyweight.
Will Usyk vs Benavidez happen, and do you like the idea? Let us know down in the comments section, and even if you’re on the go, you can join the conversation with the SB Nation app for iOS or Android!
