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‘That’s a great fight for the public’: David Benavidez says Artur Beterbiev actively seeking cruiserweight showdown

David Benavidez chats it up with The Ring to talk about his attempts to make some big fights and his willingness to move up in weight to make it happen. Here, Benavidez says he’s targeting fights against Jai Opetaia, Dmitry…

By Wil Esco · Bad Left Hook

Published: Friday, 9 October 2026 at 3:14 PM

Key Things to Know

David Benavidez revealed that Artur Beterbiev's team has actively reached out to arrange a cruiserweight fight.
Benavidez welcomed a matchup with Beterbiev, calling it a great and violent fight for boxing fans.
Benavidez is targeting a cruiserweight bout against Jai Opetaia on Cinco de Mayo weekend at T-Mobile Arena.

The Story in 60 Seconds

David Benavidez revealed that Artur Beterbiev has reached out to his team and is actively seeking a cruiserweight showdown between the two fighters. Speaking with The Ring, Benavidez expressed immense respect for Beterbiev and welcomed the matchup, describing it as an exciting and violent contest for boxing fans.

Benavidez outlined ambitious plans across multiple weight classes, stating he is targeting cruiserweight bouts against Jai Opetaia and Beterbiev before potentially moving up to heavyweight. He also noted that while he previously sought a clash with Dmitry Bivol, he considers Bivol the toughest stylistic challenge among his prospective opponents.

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