Jason Burgos
Boxing icon Roy Jones Jr. believes that if David Benavidez doesn’t make heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk his next opponent, he will have blown a golden career opportunity.
Last week, “The Mexican Monster” moved his record to a sparkling 32-0 when he scored a sixth-round knockout over WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez. The victory marked a very successful debut for Benavidez in a new weight class. It also means he is now a three-division world champion.
The 29-year-old’s status in the sport has never been higher, and now he can call his own shots. Because no longer is he the hunter, he is the big money star other fighters are hunting. That is why former four-division titlist Jones Jr. believes Benavidez should change divisions again, this time in a move up to heavyweight.
Roy Jones: Benavidez vs. Usyk ‘one of the biggest fights of this decade’
In a new edition of his Hall of Game podcast with fellow boxing great Andre Ward, Jones Jr. claimed a super fight between Benavidez and Usyk would be “one of the biggest fights of this decade.” He thinks Benavidez must push for the opportunity and not be swayed into other fights.
“It would not be smart for David Benavidez to give Jai Opetaia a shot at his name right now because he’s hot,” Jones Jr. said.
The boxing legend explained that with his name value as strong as ever, Benavidez must cash in on the biggest money-making opportunities. Especially since a long-sought-after clash with Canelo Alvarez has long evaded him.
“You can always come back down and fight Opetaia if you want to. If you lost to Usyk, the Opetaia fight’s still there. If you lost to Opetaia, the Usyk fight’s gone. So be smart about this thing,” he said.
There has been speculation about a Benavidez vs. Usyk clash in 2026. However, as boxing fans know, getting a matchup of that magnitude is always tough to make. Fortunately, both men are very game fighters and open to big challenges. Which gives it a better chance of becoming a reality.
