David Benavidez is seeking to establish himself as the pound-for-pound king within the next couple of years and his father and trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr, has now revealed an audacious four-fight plan that culminates with a heavyweight debut against a former world champion.
Benavidez has only fought once so far this year, but he competed in style as he made the treacherous 25lb leap from light-heavyweight to cruiserweight to knock out unified world champion Gilberto Ramirez inside six rounds.
Speaking with ProBox TV, Benavidez Sr confirmed his son’s plans to face WBC cruiserweight world champion Michal Cieslak in December, before targeting match-up’s with Jai Opetaia and then either Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol – making for a potentially sensational 2027 run.
“It’s funny because I was talking to David and what we are looking at; I sat down with David a little bit, we are looking for December to beat the WBC world champion and go with Opetaia, then come down and fight Beterbiev/Bivol.”
Benavidez Sr then unveiled the fourth fight on his son’s mind, declaring that the unified cruiserweight titleholder could then make the move up to the heavyweight division and face former WBA, WBO and IBF world champion Andy Ruiz Jr.
“After that we would love make a fight with Andy Ruiz Jr.
“We are just dreaming here but those are the fights that are very possible to make, I told him that I think those fights are possible to make. Imagine David Benavidez-Andy Ruiz! I want to give a big shoutout to Andy Ruiz, he is a great fighter and my heart is with him, he is like family to me.
“But, at the end of the day, I believe that he would love the same – an opportunity to fight ‘The Mexican Monster’ – and for us it would be a great opportunity.”
Ruiz ended a two-year stint of inactivity when he returned to action against Damian Knyba at the beginning of the month and suffered a third career defeat, although the 37-year-old has maintained that he wishes to continue in the sport and bounce back from the loss.
