David Benavidez is mapping out an ambitious three-fight wishlist once he handles Michal Cieslak on December 5. Benavidez laid out three massive targets: Jai Opetaia, Artur Beterbiev, plus Oleksandr Usyk.
That roadmap keeps him focused on cruiserweight, along with an eventual leap to heavyweight for Usyk. It also leaves Dmitry Bivol completely on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.
“We’re talking about Opetaia. We’re talking about Beterbiev. And then we’re maybe talking about Usyk,” Benavidez said to Brian Custer’s channel.
Opetaia sits at the top of the queue. If Benavidez gets past Cieslak, he wants the Australian champion on Cinco de Mayo weekend in May 2027.
“The fight that I got to honor first is the fight with Opetaia because I told him I’d fight him Cinco de Mayo next year,” he explained.
Beterbiev comes next in the plan, specifically at cruiserweight. Benavidez figures the Russian puncher would benefit from skipping the brutal drain down to 175 pounds. That choice sets up a fresher, more dangerous rival to conquer.
“I think it’s a better fight for both of us at cruiserweight,” Benavidez said. “It’d be a bigger challenge for me.”
Trading shots in the pocket against Beterbiev without weight drain presents a massive test. If Benavidez stays inside to let his punches fly, he must survive lethal return fire right back.
A meeting with Usyk remains the most ambitious idea on the board. Benavidez mentioned taking that bout at cruiserweight or heavyweight, saying he would take the chance immediately.
Keep in mind, these names represent Benavidez’s personal target list rather than finalized contracts. He plans on staying with PBC while working across promotional boundaries to secure them.
A bout with Bivol could happen down the line, but it will not happen anytime soon.
“In the next three fights, probably not,” Benavidez said regarding Bivol.
Gold fever completely clouds judgment, and Benavidez sounds like an old prospector who spotted a glitter in the stream and started spending millions in his head before he even picked up a shovel.
Counting Opetaia as an automatic win to reach massive paydays against an aging Artur Beterbiev and Oleksandr Usyk shows how disconnected Benavidez has become from reality. If Opetaia clips him, that entire fantasy sequence turns to smoke. The Usyk dream evaporates, the cruiserweight belts vanish, and the massive Saudi checks dry up overnight.
Benavidez is so fixated on cashing in on three giant events that he forgets the brutal toll the very first hurdle demands.
